Gina Rinehart wants to go to war with little-known mining heiress Angela Bennett

Two of Australia’s richest women will face off in a bitter court battle over royalties and ownership of billions of dollars worth of iron ore.

A decade-long dispute between companies owned by Gina Rinehart and Angela Bennett begins in Western Australia’s Supreme Court on Monday.

The civil case is expected to last up to four months and revolves around a partnership established by the businesswomen’s fathers, Lang Hancock and Peter Wright, back in the 1980s.

Wright Prospecting and Hancock Prospecting are the private companies involved in the case, however Ms Rinehart or Ms Bennett are not expected to ever appear in the courtroom.

The fight revolves around royalties and ownership of two iron ore mining properties known collectively as Hope Downs in Washington’s Pilbara region.

A decade-long dispute between companies owned by Gina Rinehart (pictured) and Angela Bennett begins in Western Australia’s Supreme Court on Monday

Ms Rinehart’s company Hancock Prospecting owns both sets with mining company Rio Tinto.

Wright Prospecting, owned by Ms Bennett and her nieces Leonie Baldock and Alexandra Burt, argues that royalties from the mines known as Hope Downs 1, 2 and 3 that Hancock Prospecting received from Rio Tinto should be shared equally with them.

Wright Prospecting is also claiming an interest in Hope Downs 4, 5 and 6 that could be worth billions of dollars.

It is understood Hancock Prospecting will argue that Wright Prospecting has no interest in the Hope Downs mines and is not entitled to any payout.

Wright Prospecting filed its first lawsuit against Hancock Prospecting back in 2013.

Another aspect of the high-profile court case is Ms Rinehart’s two eldest children, John Hancock and Bianca Rinehart, who are making their own legal arguments and demanding a share of Hopes Down’s assets.

Wright Prospecting, owned by Ms. Bennett (pictured) and her nieces Leonie Baldock and Alexandra Burt, had filed its first lawsuit against Hancock Prospecting back in 2013

Who is mining heiress Angela Bennett?

Ms. Bennett was ranked 20th on this year’s Rich List with a fortune of $4.63 billion.

While Ms Rinehart, Australia’s richest woman, is known for her wealth, little is known about Ms Bennett and photos of the billionaire are even harder to come by.

The 79-year-old has seven children and is also the owner of family investment company AMB Holdings.

The company has a 50 percent interest in Wright Prospecting.

Ms Bennett is the third richest woman in Australia according to the AFR Rich List, ahead of only Ms Rinehart and Canva co-founder Melanie Perkins.

She made headlines in 2009 when she sold her Mosman Park mansion in Perth for a whopping $57.5 million, breaking the record for most expensive home in WA.

Who is Gina Rinehart?

Ms Rinehart is Australia’s richest person with an estimated fortune of $37.41 billion, topping the wealthy list for the fourth straight year.

She took over her father’s company after his death in 1992 and, as CEO, transformed the once financially troubled company into the incredibly successful company it is today.

Most of her wealth comes from the Roy Hill iron ore mine she built.

The 69-year-old has four children.

In June she was named Western Australian of the Year.

Their wealth stems primarily from the success of their massive Roy Hill mine in Pilbara, WA, which exported more than 60 million tons of iron ore in 2021-22, and Hancock Prospecting, which reported record profits of $5.8 billion in 2022.

Expected to last up to four months, the civil case revolves around a partnership started by the businesswomen’s fathers, Lang Hancock and Peter Wright, back in the 1980s (pictured is Gina Rinehart with her late father Lang Hancock in 1982).

Ms Rinehart reflected on the success of Hancock Prospecting, which transformed her from an ailing company into one of Australia’s leading mining companies.

“It is indeed a very long way from what my family business was 30 years ago and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved in that time for our business and what we have been able to contribute to Western Australia, our country and our future,” she said.

Ms. Rinehart is also a dedicated philanthropist, supporting numerous medical, educational, athletic, health and community organizations.

In 1993, she founded the Hancock Family Breast Cancer Foundation before later raising awareness of the devastating disease by painting over 100 Roy Hill trucks pink.