Rio Tinto PLC First ore delivered at Gudai-Darri iron ore mine (8928O)
June 15 2022 - 2:00AM
UK Regulatory
TIDMRIO
RNS Number : 8928O
Rio Tinto PLC
15 June 2022
15 June, 2022
--------------
First ore delivered at Gudai-Darri iron ore mine in the
Pilbara
Rio Tinto has delivered first ore from the Gudai-Darri iron ore
mine as the company brings online its first greenfield mine in the
Pilbara, Western Australia, in more than a decade. Gudai-Darri will
help underpin future production of the company's flagship Pilbara
Blend (TM) product.
The first autonomous AutoHaul(TM) trains loaded with ore from
Gudai-Darri's process plant have travelled the new 166-kilometre
rail line that connects to Rio Tinto's existing rail and port
infrastructure. Production from the mine will continue to ramp up
through the remainder of this year and is expected to reach full
capacity during 2023.
Since ground was broken in April 2019, more than 14 million
workhours have resulted in the movement of over 20 million cubic
metres of earth, batching and placement of 35,000 cubic metres of
concrete, and the installation of 10,000 tonnes of steel. The
development of Gudai-Darri supported more than 3,000 jobs during
the construction and design phase. The mine will support around 600
ongoing permanent roles.
With an expected life of more than 40 years and an annual
capacity of 43 million tonnes, Gudai-Darri will underpin future
production of Pilbara Blend (TM) product. A feasibilty study to
support an expansion of this new hub is also progressing.
The mine's commissioning and ramp-up is expected to increase Rio
Tinto's iron ore production volumes and improve product mix from
the Pilbara in the second half of this year. Full-year shipments
guidance for 2022 remains at 320 to 335 million tonnes (100% basis)
subject to risks around the ramp up of new mines, weather and
management of cultural heritage.
The capital cost for the mine is estimated to be $3.1 billion
(A$4.3 billion). As disclosed in February, the company's
replacement projects in the Pilbara, including Gudai-Darri, were
subject to potential capital increases of approximately 15% due to
ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, including labour access and supply
chain quality issues. Group capital expenditure guidance for 2022
is unchanged at around $8 billion.
Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Simon Trott said "The
commissioning of Gudai-Darri represents the successful delivery of
our first greenfield mine in over a decade, helping to support
increased output of Pilbara Blend , our flagship product . It sets
a new standard for Rio Tinto mine developments through its
deployment of technology and innovation to enhance productivity and
improve safety.
"I'd like to acknowledge the support of the Traditional Owners,
the Banjima People, on whose country Gudai-Darri is situated. We
have worked closely with the Banjima People to progress this
project and we look forward to continuing to actively partner with
them into the future."
Rio Tinto Chief Technical Officer Mark Davies said "The safe and
successful delivery of Gudai-Darri, in the midst of a global
pandemic, is testament to the resilience and hard work of thousands
of Rio Tinto employees and contractors, including a range of local
Western Australian suppliers, as well as Pilbara Aboriginal
businesses.
"In building this new hub we have brought together the best of
our innovations, including autonomous trucks, trains and drills, as
well as the world's first autonomous water trucks, to make
Gudai-Darri our most technologically advanced iron ore mine.
"This suite of autonomous assets complements the planned
deployment of other leading-edge technologies including a robotic
ore sampling laboratory, field mobility devices for all personnel
and a digital asset of the fixed plant, which, together with data
analytics, will make Gudai Darri safer and more productive."
Helping support Rio Tinto's carbon emission reduction targets,
Gudai-Darri will be powered by a 34 megawatt solar farm that is
expected to supply about a third of the mine's average electricity
demand once construction is complete in August.
Together with a new lithium-ion battery energy storage system in
Tom Price, the solar plant is estimated to reduce annual carbon
dioxide emissions by about 90,000 tonnes compared to conventional
gas powered generation, equivalent to taking about 28,000 cars off
the road.
Contacts Please direct all enquiries to media.enquiries@riotinto.com
Media Relations, UK Media Relations, Australia
Illtud Harri Jonathan Rose
M +44 7920 503 600 M +61 447 028 913
David Outhwaite Matt Chambers
M +44 7787 597 493 M +61 433 525 739
Media Relations, Americas Jesse Riseborough
Matthew Klar M +61 436 653 412
T +1 514 608 4429
Investor Relations, Australia
Investor Relations, UK Amar Jambaa
Menno Sanderse M +61 472 865 948
M: +44 7825 195 178
David Ovington
M +44 7920 010 978
Clare Peever
M +44 7788 967 877
Rio Tinto plc Rio Tinto Limited
6 St James's Square Level 7, 360 Collins Street
London SW1Y 4AD Melbourne 3000
United Kingdom Australia
T +61 3 9283 3333
T +44 20 7781 2000 Registered in Australia
Registered in England ABN 96 004 458 404
No. 719885
This announcement is authorised for release to the market by
Steve Allen, Rio Tinto's Group Company Secretary.
riotinto.com
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