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The first shipments of ore from Por1 Hedland went to Japan, which will be Mount Newman's biggest customer. The Japanese have contracted for 146 million tons, worth $1.2 billion, over the next 15 years. European steel mills have agreed to buy 1.5 million tons by 1989, while 70 million tons will go to Australian mills. Australian steelmen are also considering building enormous integrated mills that would be fed by Mount Newman and other western iron mines. When that happens, proud Australia will indeed be master of her vast iron reserves.