On 19 December 2025, Gold Valley Iron Ore Pty Ltd (Gold Valley), its subsidiary Odell Resources Pty Ltd (Odell Resources) and the company’s sole director, Yuzheng Xie, pleaded guilty in the Perth Magistrates Court to mining without authority, and the director failing to take all reasonable steps to prevent the offence.
In March 2024, Gold Valley acquired full ownership of the Wiluna West Iron Ore Project and then secured an agreement with the Port of Esperance for ore exports. The ore was trucked by Odell Resources to a site near Leonora for laydown and stockpiling prior to being transported by rail to the port. Gold Valley however did not hold a miscellaneous licence issued under the Mining Act 1978 (WA) allowing it to use the site for these and associated activities. The Company also operated another unauthorised site near Leonora and continued those operations even after receiving directions from the DMPE to cease doing so.
Gold Valley, Odell Resources and director Mr Xie were fined more than $2.34m for unlawful mining.