Rio Tinto Invests $1.9 Billion in Queensland Bauxite Project

Rio Tinto will invest $1.9 billion to develop the Kangwinan bauxite project on the Western Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. The brownfield investment aims to add 20 million tonnes of annual production capacity to the company's Weipa Operations, raising total annual capacity from 38 million to approximately 44 million tonnes.

First output is targeted for 2029, with full production expected by 2032. The project is designed to replace production from the Andoom mine and compensate for the planned 2029 closure of the Gove mine in the Northern Territory. Infrastructure developments include a 15-kilometre conveyor to transport ore to expanded stockyards and upgrades to the Amrun wharf to accommodate larger capesize vessels.

Construction is scheduled to ramp up in 2027, supporting over 1,300 jobs. To further its regional growth, Rio Tinto has also agreed to acquire the adjacent Aurukun Bauxite Project from Glencore and Mitsubishi, pending government approval. Jérôme Pécresse, Chief Executive of Rio Tinto Aluminium & Lithium, described the investment as a vote of confidence in the local workforce and the quality of the bauxite.