Rio Tinto has announced plans to boost production capacity at the Gudai-Darri iron ore mine to 50 million tonnes annually, costing around $70 million (A$130 million) through incremental productivity gains.
The Gudai-Darri mine in Pilbara, Western Australia, began production last year and reached its planned annual capacity of 43 million tonnes in less than 12 months from first ore.
The planned capacity increase will be accomplished by plant upgrades such as chutes and conveyor belts, as well as by utilising an existing incremental crushing and screening facility on site.
According to Rio Tinto, the expansion of the operation will necessitate an additional mining fleet, product stockyard expansion, and environmental, heritage, and other approvals.
“What we have learnt during the rapid ramp-up of Gudai-Darri has given us the confidence to find better ways to increase capacity at our newest and most technologically advanced mine,” Rio Tinto Iron Ore Managing Director of Pilbara Mines Matthew Holcz said.
“Rather than taking a capital-intensive approach to replicate existing infrastructure, we have now identified a low-capital pathway to creep capacity to 50 million tonnes a year,” Holcz stated.
The anticipated capital intensity for any capacity increase at Gudai-Darri is around $10 per tonne.
