Rio Tinto has formally opened its latest iron ore mine, Western Vary, with Western Australian Premier Roger Prepare dinner and Federal Assets Minister Madeleine King becoming a member of Yinhawangka Conventional Homeowners and senior representatives from Rio Tinto and three way partnership associate China Baowu Group to mark the milestone.
Western Vary has the capability to supply as much as 25 Mt of iron ore per yr and will maintain the prevailing Paraburdoo mining hub for as much as 20 years. The US$2 billion mission, a three way partnership between Rio Tinto (54%) and Baowu (46%), was accomplished on time and on funds. It concerned constructing a main crusher and conveyor system linked to the prevailing Paraburdoo processing plant.
Particularly these have been delivered by Civmec and included a single tip, oblique fed gyratory main crushing facility (PCF) and discharge conveyor; plus a 3 flight (17.8 km), 6,000 t/h overland conveyor (OLC) to the Paraburdoo Central Services.
The brand new mine gives stability for Paraburdoo’s greater than 880 residential and FIFO workers. It additionally helps the continued viability of Paraburdoo city and strengthens the Western Australian and nationwide economies via royalties and taxes.
Yinhawangka Aboriginal Company Board Chairwoman Robyn Hayden and Yinhawangka Conventional Homeowners joined Premier Prepare dinner, Minister King, Baowu Group Chairman Hu Wangming, Baowu Assets Chairman Shi Bing, Rio Tinto Chief Govt Jakob Stausholm, Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Govt Simon Trott and different authorities and three way partnership representatives on web site for the opening.
Western Australian Premier Roger Prepare dinner mentioned: “The opening of Western Vary is a big achievement, and its significance to Western Australia’s financial system can’t be overstated. My authorities will proceed to again in our assets trade, which is creating high quality jobs for Western Australians whereas serving to us preserve the usual of life all of us take pleasure in.”
Federal Assets Minister Madeleine King mentioned: “The opening of Western Vary is unbelievable information for the Pilbara, for Western Australians, for Conventional Homeowners and for the nation. The Pilbara is the engine room of the nation’s financial system. Tasks like Western Vary will maintain that engine working for future generations of Australians.”
Western Vary is Rio Tinto’s first mission to characteristic a co-designed Social, Cultural and Heritage Administration Plan (SCHMP) with the Yinhawangka Conventional Homeowners.
In step with the SCHMP, introduced in 2022 with the Yinhawangka Aboriginal Company, Western Vary has been designed to guard important cultural and heritage values within the space.
Yinhawangka Aboriginal Company Board Chairwoman Robyn Hayden mentioned: “For Yinhawangka folks, Nation is every thing – it holds our spirit, our Legislation, and our deep accountability to guard what was handed all the way down to us. The opening of the Western Vary mine represents a shift in how our heritage is being recognised and revered. We acknowledge the work Rio Tinto has executed to vary how they have interaction with us, and the steps they’ve taken to construct a stronger, extra trustworthy partnership. This can be a significant starting – and we stand able to stroll ahead collectively.”
Rio Tinto and Baowu’s partnership within the Pilbara started with the 2002 Bao-HI Joint Enterprise to develop the Japanese Vary deposits within the Hamersley Ranges.
Chairman of China Baowu Group, Hu Wangming mentioned: “The success of the Western Vary mission just isn’t solely a milestone in China-Australia useful resource co-operation, but in addition a vivid reflection of joint efforts and resilience from all events concerned. The Western Vary mission just isn’t solely a strategic cornerstone within the world useful resource structure of China Baowu and Rio Tinto, but in addition a mannequin of China-Australia financial and commerce cooperation. Our joint efforts in inexperienced, low-carbon improvement and collaborative innovation have set new trade benchmarks and contributed precious insights and energy to the sustainable improvement of worldwide assets.”
He added: “We’re dedicated to working hand in hand with the Western Australian Authorities, Indigenous communities, and companions from all sectors to construct an inclusive and sustainable cooperation ecosystem. We can even proceed to satisfy our company duties and drive industrial upgrading via technological innovation, injecting new momentum into regional prosperity and the soundness of worldwide provide chains.”
Rio Tinto Chief Govt Jakob Stausholm mentioned: “Opening Western Vary is a crucial step in Rio Tinto’s extension plans within the Pilbara and ensures the longevity of certainly one of our oldest mining hubs, Paraburdoo, which started working in 1972. I’m significantly happy with the work we’ve executed with the Yinhawangka Folks to develop Western Vary and we’ll proceed to work carefully collectively. Partnering with Baowu ensures our greatest buyer immediately advantages with a constant, devoted provide of Rio Tinto’s world main Pilbara Mix iron ore.”
First ore was processed via the Western Vary system in late March this yr. Western Vary is certainly one of a tranche of alternative initiatives, with complete annual capability of ~130 Mt/y, that underpin Rio Tinto’s ongoing dedication to the Pilbara. Along with the 6 March 2025 announcement of a US$1.8 billion funding to develop Brockman Syncline 1, each the Hope Downs 1 and West Angelas sustaining initiatives are progressing via approvals processes.
Throughout the subsequent three years (2025-2027) Rio Tinto expects to speculate greater than US$13 billion on new mines, plant and tools. This builds on about US$8.5 billion of funding within the Pilbara in the course of the previous three years (2022-2024).
Rio Tinto continues to work on the pre-feasibility examine for Rhodes Ridge, one of many world’s largest and highest high quality undeveloped iron ore deposits, which is concentrating on an preliminary capability of as much as 40 Mt/y and first ore by 2030.
