Rio to increase Gudai-Darri output
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner Rio Tinto this week said it was looking to increase capacity at its Gudai-Darri iron-ore mines, in the Pilbara, from 43-million tonnes a year to 50-million tonnes a year, at a cost of around A$130-million, through incremental productivity gains.
The $3.1-billion Gudai-Darri mine started production last year and reached its planned yearly capacity of 43-million tonnes in less than 12 months from first ore.
Rio said that the planned capacity increase would be achieved through upgrades within the plant, including chutes and conveyor belts, as well as using an existing incremental crushing and screening facility already on site.
The larger operation would require additional mining fleet, including haul trucks and diggers, as well as a small expansion of the product stockyards. The capacity increase is subject to environmental, heritage and other relevant 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 MD 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.”
The capital intensity of any increase in capacity of Gudai-Darri is expected to be around $10/t.
Gudai-Darri is Rio’s most technologically advanced mine to date and features some of the most advanced cutting-edge technology, including a robotic ore sampling laboratory which provides visibility of the ore grades out of the mine within minutes.
Autonomous trucks, trains and drills, which are standard across many of Rio Tinto's Pilbara mines are also present at the site, along with a digital replica of the processing plant which allows teams to quickly test different situations digitally before implementing.
Comments
Research Reports
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
In 1958 John Deere Construction made its first introduction to the industry with their model 64 bulldozer.
VISIT SHOWROOM
For over 30 years, Werner South Africa Pumps & Equipment (PTY) LTD has been designing, manufacturing, supplying and maintaining specialist...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
