Mmm - interesting...."Pressure is mounting on the Western...

Mmm - interesting....

"Pressure is mounting on the Western Australian Government to provide better infrastructure for smaller miners in the Pilbara region.

Five small mining companies in the Pilbara have formed a new lobby group, the North West Iron Ore Alliance.

The group comprises Atlas Iron, BC Iron, Brockman Resources, FerrAus and Iron Ore Holdings and they wish to fast-track the development of a junior iron ore industry in the region.

It is calling on the State Government to build new infrastructure and pressure mining giants BHP and Rio Tinto to share their railways and ports.

Alliance chairwoman Megan Anwyl says infrastructure is the key to the smaller miners' financial success.

"It's important to have adequate port access and transport, because otherwise you can mine the iron ore but you can't get it out," she said.

The group says a healthy junior mining sector would increase the production base in the Pilbara.

The Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, Alannah MacTiernan, says the Government is working to deliver a strong third party infrastructure access regime to small mining companies."