Western Range spends A$1 billion with WA businesses
June 22 2023 - 6:30PM
Business Wire
Western Australian businesses have so far been awarded contracts
totalling A$1 billion as construction progresses at the Western
Range mine in the Pilbara, a joint venture between Rio Tinto (54
percent) and China Baowu Steel Group Co. Ltd (46 percent).
These include:
- Civmec: awarded a contract valued at more than A$330
million for the construction of a new Run of Mine (ROM) pad,
primary crushing facility, overland conveying circuit, and
modifications to the Coarse Ore Stockpile and downstream conveying
system.
- CIMIC Group’s CPB Contractors: awarded a contract valued
at approximately A$250 million to deliver the main infrastructure
bulk earthworks.
- Primero Group: awarded a contracted valued at
approximately A$54 million for the design, supply, construction and
commissioning of the Non-Process Infrastructure facilities on
site.
- MACA: awarded a contract valued at approximately A$60
million to construct a camp pad and access road as well as crushing
and screening work.
- Pilbara Aboriginal Businesses: contracts totalling A$39
million.
Western Range aligns with Rio Tinto’s local procurement strategy
which aims to increase opportunities for Pilbara, West Australian
and Australian businesses to be a part of the company’s supply
chain. Last year, Rio Tinto increased its spend with more than
2,400 suppliers in Western Australia to A$8.6 billion.
Of this spend, A$618 million was spent with Pilbara-based
businesses and a record A$504 million was spent with Indigenous
businesses in Western Australia. This included A$439 million spent
with Traditional Owner businesses – an increase of 45 per cent on
the previous year.
Construction at Western Range, which will help sustain
production from Rio Tinto’s existing Paraburdoo mining hub,
commenced in the first quarter this year and is expected to support
approximately 1,600 jobs.
Production from the mine is expected to commence in 2025 with
annual capacity of 25 million tonnes of iron ore. The project
includes construction of a primary crusher and an 18-kilometre
conveyor system linking it to the existing Paraburdoo processing
plant.
WA Premier Roger Cook said, “It was significant projects like
the Western Range which reinforced Western Australia as an
attractive and secure destination for business and investment.
“I want to commend Rio Tinto and Baowu on this latest project
milestone and acknowledge their efforts in investing in WA to
ensure WA businesses and workers benefit most. It goes to the heart
of my Government’s WA Jobs Plan, which is about WA jobs first and
its projects like the Western Range that will provide a long
pipeline of work for Western Australians into the future.”
China Baowu said, “We are very pleased to see the Western Range
project is progressing smoothly, with huge benefits brought to
business and local communities in Western Australia. Baowu is
committed to becoming a world-class international company. We will
promote overseas projects following ESG standards, aiming to
contribute to the localisation of the project and community
development.”
Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Simon Trott said, “Rio Tinto
spends billions of dollars with local suppliers across Western
Australia and the Pilbara every year, helping support thriving
communities across the State by providing local jobs for local
people.
“The spending of A$1 billion with Western Australian businesses
at Western Range marks a considerable milestone for both the
project and those local businesses we are partnering with.
“The connection between Rio Tinto and China Baowu in the Pilbara
extends more than 40 years and we are pleased to be further
deepening our relationship through our joint commitment to study
opportunities for the production of low-carbon iron in Western
Australia.”
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230622449703/en/
Please direct all enquiries to
media.enquiries@riotinto.com
Media Relations, United Kingdom Matthew Klar
M +44 7796 630 637 David Outhwaite M +44 7787
597 493
Media Relations, Australia Matt Chambers M
+61 433 525 739 Jesse Riseborough M +61 436 653 412
Alyesha Anderson M +61 434 868 118
Media Relations, Americas Simon Letendre
M +1 514 796 4973 Malika Cherry M +1 418 592
7293
Investor Relations, United Kingdom Menno
Sanderse M +44 7825 195 178 David Ovington
M +44 7920 010 978 Danielle Smith M +44 7788
190 672
Investor Relations, Australia Tom Gallop
M +61 439 353 948 Amar Jambaa M +61 472 865
948
Rio Tinto plc 6 St James’s Square London SW1Y 4AD United
Kingdom T +44 20 7781 2000 Registered in England No.
719885
Rio Tinto Limited Level 43, 120 Collins Street
Melbourne 3000 Australia T +61 3 9283 3333 Registered in
Australia ABN 96 004 458 404
riotinto.com
Category: Pilbara
Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2024 to Jun 2024
Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2023 to Jun 2024