Mining giant Rio Tinto Ltd wants to develop a new $US1 billion ($A1.06 billion) bauxite operation to the south of its existing Weipa bauxite mine and port in Queensland, reports the Australian Associated Press.
December 31, 2007
Rio Tinto at Dec31/07 updated the expansion at Weipa Bauxite mine in Queensland, Australia. A 3.5 million tonne per annum expansion of the group’s Weipa bauxite mine is currently under way. The expansion is scheduled to be completed by late 2009 and is expected to cost around US$30 million. The expansion is expected to further leverage the world class Weipa bauxite deposit.
Bauxite production at Weipa reached record levels in 2006, at 16.1 million tonnes, four per cent higher than in 2005. This increase was a result of the ongoing ramp up of project NeWeipa, which led to increased production from both the East Weipa and Andoom mines. Weipa bauxite shipments rose by six per cent, to 15.9 million tonnes. Rio Tinto Aluminium advised its calcined bauxite customers in
December 2006 that it would withdraw from the production of calcined bauxite by 2008 after 40 years of providing this product to the abrasives and oil and gas exploration industries. Calcined bauxite represents about one per cent of Weipa’s total bauxite production. In 2006, Rio Tinto Aluminium commissioned a new US$40 million
26 megawatt power station. The new power station services the mining operation and surrounding communities. A US$60 million second shiploader was commissioned in the fourth quarter to ensure reliability of bauxite supply to customers. To meet the needs of increased trade of bauxite and alumina, Rio Tinto Marine committed US$120 million to the purchase of three new post Panamax bulk ore carriers to be used primarily on the Weipa to Gladstone run. The first ship will be delivered in the third quarter of 2007.
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