History
Dampier Salt has a long and successful history of innovation and growth, supported by strong and enduring customer relationships. These relationships are built on our reputation for value, product quality and consistently reliable supply.
Dampier Salt Limited (DSL) was formed in late 1967 to build the Dampier operation. The first shipment of salt of 19,000 tonnes left Dampier for Japan in April 1972. The operation now has a capacity of 4.2 million tones of salt per year.
At the end of 1978, DSL purchased the Lake MacLeod operation which has a current production capacity of 2.9 million tonnes per year of salt. In 1997, a gypsum mining and processing operation was constructed at Lake MacLeod with a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per year.
In 2001 the Port Hedland operation was purchased and has a current capacity of 3.2 million tonnes per year of salt.
Significant events
| Month and year | Event |
|---|---|
| November 1967 | Formation of Dampier Salt - initial feasibility and engineering studies commenced |
| April 1972 | First shipment of 19,084 tonnes loaded for Central Glass in Japan aboard MV Borgnes |
| November 1975 | First Panamax vessel berths at Dampier; MV Jaguar loaded with 59,722 tonnes |
| December 1978 | Dampier Salt buys Lake MacLeod operations |
| January 1990 | Lake MacLeod field capacity expanded to 1.5 million tonnes |
| December 1990 | Total of 4 million tonnes in sales achieved in the year |
| April 1992 | Twenty-year anniversary of shipments from Dampier; 50th million tonne shipped by Damper Salt. Dampier field capacity expanded to 3 million tonnes. |
| December 1995 | 50th million tonne shipped from Dampier |
| June 1997 | Opening ceremony for the Lake MacLeod gypsum operation |
| August 1997 |
First shipment of 40,000 tonnes of gypsum to Yoshino Gypsum in Japan |
| 1999 | Dampier Salt wins the Best Supplier Award from Asahi Glass - the first non-Japanese company to win this award |
| August 2001 | Dampier Salt buys Port Hedland operations |
| April 2002 | Dampier Salt capacity equals 9 million tonnes. Thirty year anniversary of shipments from Dampier. |
| December 2002 | Annual salt sales from Dampier Salt exceed 7 million tonnes for the first time |
| April 2003 | 100th million tonne from Dampier Salt shipped on the MV Marguerite to Tosoh Corporation |
| December 2004 | Annual salt sales exceed 8.5 million tonnes and Gypsum sales exceed 1.3 million tonnes |
| April 2005 | Northshore washplant opened at Dampier using DSL-developed washing technology |
| January 2006 | Chlor-Alkali Unit Pte Ltd formed to market salt and purchase caustic for Rio Tinto |
| February 2006 | Rio Tinto Minerals formed between Dampier Salt, US Borax and Luzenac Talc to leverage Rio Tinto’s global presence |
| June 2006 | Operations achieve ISO9001 Quality System Certification |
| 2006 | Dampier Salt wins the Best Supplier Award from Asahi Glass |
| December 2006 | Annual salt sales of 8.1 million tonnes and gypsum sales of 1.3 million tonnes |
| January 2007 | 10 millionth tonne of gypsum shipped from Lake MacLeod |
| March 2007 | Port Hedland operation expanded to 3.2 million tonnes per year |
| June 2007 | Operations achieve ISO14001 Environmental Management System certification |
| August 2007 | Lake MacLeod expanded to 1.9 million tonnes per year |
| July 2009 | Lake MacLeod expanded to 2.9 million tonnes per year |
| December 2009 | 100th million tonne of salt shipped from Dampier |
