A new podcast series delving into the life of Australia's richest person, Gina Rinehart, has uncovered a less celebrated chapter in her family's history. The latest episode focuses on the mining origins of her father, Lang Hancock, revealing they were built not on iron ore, but on a far more dangerous substance.
The Asbestos Beginnings of a Mining Dynasty
While Lang Hancock is famously known as a pioneer of Australia's iron ore industry, few are aware that his mining career began on a much smaller and more hazardous scale. In the 1940s, Hancock and a business partner initiated a mining operation at Wittenoom, targeting deposits of blue asbestos (crocidolite). This venture predated his legendary iron ore discoveries in the Pilbara region.
The operation was later sold to the company CSR, which continued to extract the deadly fibres from the site for another two decades. The podcast episode interrogates the narratives the Hancock-Rinehart family chooses to highlight and those it often leaves in the shadows, with this early asbestos enterprise falling firmly into the latter category.
Wittenoom: A Site of National Tragedy
The legacy of the Wittenoom mines is one of profound suffering and loss. The town's name has become synonymous with one of Australia's worst industrial disasters. Thousands of workers and residents were exposed to the lethal asbestos fibres, leading to widespread cases of mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other fatal lung diseases.
The mining continued at the site for a total of over 20 years, leaving a devastating health legacy that persists to this day. The episode contrasts this tragic history with the family's celebrated story of iron ore innovation and monumental wealth creation.
Family Stories: Celebrated and Concealed
This exploration forms part of a broader series examining the source of Gina Rinehart's immense power, privilege, and influence. The podcast promises to scrutinise the mythmaking around the Hancock dynasty, questioning which chapters of its history are amplified and which are quietly set aside.
The series also touches on the bitter internal family feud over the Hancock Prospecting empire, a legal battle involving billions of dollars. It prompts listeners to consider the full cost of the fortune, which continues to grow at an astonishing rate even in the short time it takes to consume a news article or listen to a podcast episode.
