As the bushfire crisis continues to unfold throughout Australia, South32 has pledged $500,000 to the Australian Red Cross in support of disaster relief.

This now brings their total donations to organisations dealing with the bushfire crisis to $1 million since November 2019.

"It is heart-breaking to see the continual tragic loss of life and property as a result of these devastating fires across Australia," South32 CEO Graham Kerr said.

"Our thoughts are with all who have been impacted and our gratitude goes to the emergency service workers and disaster recovery organisations whose tireless efforts of courage and dedication to protect and restore their communities is extraordinary."

South32 has also made in-kind donations of face masks for smoke protection, and throughout Australia many of its staff have been involved in raising funds and volunteering to support the effort.

South32 says it will continue to match employee contributions to a number of supporting organisations, including leading wildlife rescue organisation WIRES (NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service Inc.), Buy A Bale, which supports Australian farmers, and the Red Cross.

South32 donated $500,000 to the NSW Rural Fire Service and the Rural Fire Brigades Association Queensland Inc in November to support front-line fire-fighting.

The company produces bauxite, alumina, aluminium, energy and metallurgical coal, manganese, nickel, silver, lead and zinc at their operations in Australia, Southern Africa and South America.

South32's Illawarra Metallurgical Coal operations produces metallurgical coal used for steelmaking, which is shipped around Australia and the world.

Their history of coal mining in the area began in 1935 at Wongawilli Colliery.

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