BHP Cuts Mining Jobs as Autonomous Trucks Take Over Area C
Synopsis
BHP is preparing workforce reductions at Mining Area C in Western Australia as autonomous haulage technology expands across the iron ore operation.
BHP Mining Area C jobs are set to be reduced as the miner ramps up more driverless haul trucks in its Pilbara iron ore operation in Western Australia.
Some jobs would be duplicated with the autonomous haulage rollout being in its final stage at Mining Area C East workers have been told this week. The number of positions that will be impacted has not been confirmed by BHP.
Area C Moves Into Final Automation Phase
The latest known number of people employed at Mining Area C is 1,596. Job losses could be as high as around 10 per cent of that number, industry sources said, but not including people who might be transferred to other parts of BHP.
The expansion into MAC East is the next and final phase of the company's independent haulage deployment in a phased rollout, according to a BHP spokesperson. BHP will work to identify other employment opportunities for workers and affected employees during the transition period, and will offer support to affected workers.
BHP has been rolling out autonomous haulage to its Pilbara operations over the past few years. In 2017, Jimblebar was the first full, autonomous haulage operation for the company, and South Flank was the last to make the switch to autonomous trucks in June of 2023.
Record Output Comes Before Workforce Changes
The BHP Mining Area C jobs cuts come after an impressive year for BHP's iron ore operations. BHP said it had produced and shipped more iron ore in Western Australia in FY2026, as volume hit 265mt of iron ore.
BHP's underlying EBITDA for FY2026 was approximately US$33 billion, attributable profit was US$9.8 billion and free cash flow was US$9.8 billion. Its annual report, released on 18 August, is for the year to 30 June 2026.
This is also a big sector in the broader WA sector. The state government said the value of iron ore exports was A$126 billion in 2025, with Western Australia seeing a record 889 million dry tonnes of exports.
The BHP Mining Area C jobs changes illustrate how mining automation is being integrated into existing large operations in Australia and the US that are continuing to produce at record levels.
Source: The Nightly
Pooja Malik is a business journalist with over six years of experience covering startups, entrepreneurship, and emerging trends. She has previously worked with leading media platforms such as YourStory Media and BW BusinessWorld, where she reported on business, policy, and market developments. Currently, she serves as Editor at The Inspirepreneur Magazine, where she writes and edits stories across business, lifestyle, and travel, with a focus on clarity, accuracy, and reader relevance.
