Rio Tinto, Partners Invest A$1.11 Billion in West Angelas Sustaining Project
Rio Tinto, along with Japanese partners Mitsui and Nippon Steel, has committed A$1.11 billion (US$733 million) to the West Angelas Sustaining Project in Western Australia's Pilbara region. The project aims to maintain the West Angelas hub's existing annual production capacity of 35 million tonnes by developing new iron ore deposits within the operational area.
The project involves construction of new non-process infrastructure precincts and development of 22 kilometers of haul roads. It will also utilize existing West Angelas processing infrastructure. Rio Tinto worked closely with the Yinhawangka and Ngarlawangga Peoples to co-design social and cultural heritage management plans, ensuring ongoing protection of cultural heritage sites and responsible environmental management.
The project incorporates significant technological advancements, including autonomous haulage systems. It is expected to be implemented in phases, with construction from 2025 to 2027, initial ore production in 2027, and full integration with existing operations to follow. The project is expected to generate around 600 jobs during construction and sustain roughly 950 full-time equivalent positions once operational.
The West Angelas Sustaining Project is part of Rio Tinto's broader portfolio of replacement projects in the Pilbara region, aiming to maintain a total capacity of approximately 130 million tonnes per annum. Meanwhile, Rio Tinto is advancing a pre-feasibility study for Rhodes Ridge, one of the world's largest undeveloped high-quality iron ore deposits, with an initial production capacity target of up to 40 million tonnes per annum and first ore targeted by 2030.
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