Gina Rinehart’s $10 billion Roy Hill iron ore mine is entering its seriously profitable phase.

Roy Hill marked the official start of its owner/operator mining period ahead of schedule, saying it will now make a run for its first shipment.

More than 3800 people are working on the mine, rail and port infrastructure, putting in more than 11.7 million hours to get the project to 50 per cent completion.

Over half a million tonnes of iron ore are stockpiled for export, five of 11 rail bridges are finished, over 70 kilometres of rail is down and the first processing plant modules have been delivered.

When it reaches full swing – quite likely before the September 2015 due date - the Roy Hill project will be exporting 55 million tonnes of high-grade iron ore a year, adding a full 7 per cent to Australia’s total iron ore output.

The mine was made possible by a milestone project financing deal, which was able to secure $7.2 billion from five international export credit agencies and 19 commercial banks in a debt package.

Roy Hill Holdings is owned by Hancock Prospecting (70 per cent), South Korea's Posco, Japan's Marubeni and Taiwan's China Steel Corporation.

But the launch of operations at the site comes at a time when iron ores prices are dropping, though Rinehart still describes the project as a “crucible of opportunity”.

“As mining investment generally is contracting in Australia, Roy Hill and Hancock Prospecting is against the trend and continues to invest and grow,” she said this week.

“Roy Hill’s staff morale is high, and the hardworking team hope to be able to bring the first shipment due September 2015, ahead of time.”