Rio Tinto has delivered first ore from the Gudai-Darri iron ore mine as the corporate brings on-line its first greenfield mine within the Pilbara, Western Australia, in additional than a decade. Gudai-Darri will assist underpin future manufacturing of the corporate’s flagship Pilbara Mix product.
Pilbara Mix merchandise are recognized for his or her high-grade high quality and consistency. The Pilbara Mix merchandise make up roughly 70% of Rio Tinto’s iron ore product portfolio. The upper grade ores additionally contribute to decreasing GHG and different air emissions, which, together with its liquidity and constant high quality, makes the merchandise the popular iron ore for the metal trade in China.
The primary autonomous AutoHaul trains loaded with ore from Gudai-Darri’s course of plant have traveled the brand new 166-kilometer rail line that connects to Rio Tinto’s current rail and port infrastructure. Manufacturing from the mine will proceed to ramp up by means of the rest of this yr and is anticipated to succeed in full capability throughout 2023.
Since floor was damaged in April 2019, greater than 14 million workhours have resulted within the motion of greater than 20 million cubic meters of earth, batching and placement of 35,000 cubic meters of concrete, and the set up of 10,000 tonnes of metal. The event of Gudai-Darri supported greater than 3,000 jobs in the course of the building and design part. The mine will assist round 600 ongoing everlasting roles.
Gudai-Darri has an anticipated lifetime of greater than 40 years and an annual capability of 43 million tonnes. A feasibility examine to assist an growth of this new hub can be progressing.
The mine’s commissioning and ramp-up is anticipated to extend Rio Tinto’s iron ore manufacturing volumes and enhance product combine from the Pilbara within the second half of this yr. Full-year shipments steering for 2022 stays at 320 to 335 million tonnes (100% foundation) topic to dangers across the ramp up of latest mines, climate and administration of cultural heritage.
The capital price for the mine is estimated to be $3.1 billion (A$4.3 billion). As disclosed in February, the corporate’s alternative tasks within the Pilbara, together with Gudai-Darri, had been topic to potential capital will increase of roughly 15% as a consequence of ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, together with labor entry and provide chain high quality points. Group capital expenditure steering for 2022 is unchanged at round $8 billion.
Serving to assist Rio Tinto’s carbon emission discount targets, Gudai-Darri will likely be powered by a 34 MW photo voltaic farm that’s anticipated to provide a couple of third of the mine’s common electrical energy demand as soon as building is full in August.
Gudai-Darri Photo voltaic farm beneath building by Stability and NRW. This huge-scale renewable vitality resolution is a 44MWp, 50.4MVA whole inverter capability photo voltaic farm, restricted to 34MVA (630A) output on the level of connection.
Along with a brand new lithium-ion battery vitality storage system in Tom Value, the photo voltaic plant is estimated to scale back annual carbon dioxide emissions by about 90,000 tonnes in comparison with typical gas-powered era, equal to taking about 28,000 automobiles off the street.
