Rio Tinto and China Baowu Steel have officially announced the opening of the Western Range iron ore project in Australia’s Pilbara region.
The $2bn mine, a 54:46 joint venture between Rio and Baowu, will deliver up to 25 million tonnes of new capacity per year. The mine included a primary crusher and an 18km conveyor linking to the existing Paraburdoo processing plant. The project was completed on schedule, with the first ore processed in late March.
The mine marks a significant milestone for Rio Tinto in its work with Indigenous people. Western Range is the company’s first project to implement a jointly developed social, cultural and heritage management plan with the Inhawanka people, which aims to protect culturally significant areas.
Rio Tinto's outgoing chief executive Jakob Stausholm said the opening of the mine was a "major step" in Rio's long-term strategy for the region. "Opening Western Range is an important step in Rio Tinto's extension plans in the Pilbara and ensures the longevity of one of our oldest mining hubs, Paraburdoo, which began operating in 1972," he said.
Western Range is one of several iron ore projects Rio Tinto is investing more than $13 billion in in the Pilbara over the next two years. Over the previous three years, $8.5 billion has already been invested in the region. Rio is also conducting a pre-feasibility study at Rhodes Ridge in the Pilbara, one of the world's largest undeveloped iron ore deposits, with the aim of increasing initial capacity to 40 million tonnes per year and producing first ore by 2030.
Hélène Tarin, Editor-in-Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished
