BHP's iron ore operations include four processing hubs and five mines that are linked by more than 1,000 km (621 miles) of rail and port facilities. BHP said that the proposed action would present logistical challenges but that it had put in place arrangements to mitigate the impact. Worries about a strike had lent support to iron ore prices, which are trading at the highest levels since February. "Concerns over disruptions on the supply side due to the looming strike at BHP in Australia contributed to higher iron ore prices today," said Pei Hao, a Shanghai-based analyst at international brokerage FIS. Drivers received an offer from BHP last Wednesday that did not meet their expectations around rostering, arbitration and camp standards, Busson added.

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Persons: Dado Ruvic, Greg Busson, Busson, Pei Hao, BHP, Melanie Burton, Amy Lv, Gerry Doyle Organizations: BHP, REUTERS, Rights MELBOURNE, Reuters, Monday, Mining, Energy Union WA, Drivers, Thomson Locations: WA, Australia, Shanghai, rostering, Rio Tinto's, Beijing