Construction of one of Western Australia's newest iron ore projects is creating opportunities for local Indigenous businesses in the Pilbara.

The Mineral Resources-led Onslow Iron project has begun taking shape, including early works on a fully enclosed ore storage facility at the Port of Ashburton.

One of the businesses involved is Muguriyarra Pty Ltd, an Indigenous earthmoving, road and civil construction contractor based in Onslow.

Muguriyarra was launched in 2022 as a 50-50 joint venture between Thalanyji man Jaiden Hayes and NTC Contracting, which has operated in Onslow for more than 70 years.

Mr Hayes, an earthmoving plant operator and driver by trade, navigated the challenges of setting-up a small business with the assistance of NTC Contracting managing director Jason Varcoe.

Their goal is to secure long-term contracts to grow Muguriyarra, for the business to purchase equipment and create opportunities for Mr Hayes to recruit and train his own staff.

Mr Varcoe said the key to their shared success was to build a relationship based on trust.

"We genuinely want this to work and are invested in it, not just in terms of financial resources but also imparting skills and knowledge," he said.

Mr Hayes, a director and 50 per cent shareholder of Muguriyarra, said he named the business after a hill located 120km south of Onslow on the North West Coastal Highway.

There will soon be three generations from Mr Hayes' family involved in the business, with his daughter, Lumeshia Brady, and father, Mervyn Mowarin, about to come onboard.

"One of the big reasons I wanted to do this was to try to get people trained-up with licences because a lot of people don't ever have the chance to learn," Mr Hayes, 37, said.

"I want to give the younger kids that opportunity to get into work."

Onslow Iron will utilise game-changing innovation – including dust-free transport and battery-powered autonomous road trains – to unlock stranded deposits 150km east of Onslow.

MinRes is working with the Thalanyji People to ensure the project delivers long-term benefits to the Traditional Owners.

For example, at the end of the mining operations, the workforce's resort-style accommodation village at Onslow will be handed over to the Buurabalyji Thalanyji Aboriginal Corporation (BTAC).

Mineral Resources chief executive officer, iron ore Chris Soccio said: "We applaud Muguriyarra for seizing the opportunities created by Onslow Iron and look forward to delivering thousands of jobs for Western Australians."