Rio Tinto has approved an investment of US$180 million and commenced work on the Norman Creek access project at the Amrun bauxite mine on Queensland’s Cape York Peninsula. The project will enable the miner to access half of the 978 million tonnes of ore reserves at the operation.
The global miner said construction is underway on key infrastructure, including a 19-kilometre haul road, camp accommodation and a communications tower.
“The decision to approve Norman Creek reflects the quality of Western Cape York’s world-class bauxite deposits, combined with the strong operational improvements our people are making at Amrun that are bolstering our confidence to invest for the long term,” said Rio Tinto Pacific Operations Aluminium Managing Director Armando Torres.
First production from Norman Creek is targeted for 2027, with full construction completed in 2028.
In addition to the Norman Creek project, Rio Tinto recently announced it had started early works and a final feasibility study on the Kangwinan project, which includes early works and final engineering studies to increase production capacity at the Amrun mine.
If approved, Kangwinan would increase annual bauxite production capacity from Rio Tinto’s Weipa Southern operations by up to 20 million tonnes, in addition to the current 23 million tonnes, and expand export capacity through the Amrun port.
Production from the Kangwinan project would replace output from the Andoom mine on Cape York and the Gove mine in the Northern Territory, which are both expected to close toward the end of the current decade.
First output from the Kangwinan project could be as early as 2029.
Source: Rio Tinto