Perth, Australia-based service provider Leighton Contractors has announced that it has signed a five-year framework agreement with Australian mining giant Rio Tinto regarding Rio Tinto's A$18 billion iron ore expansion project in Western Australia's Pilbara region.
Leighton will deliver the earthworks contracts for the Eastern Stream of Rio Tinto's expansion, which covers the Hope Downs 4, Marandoo, Yandicoogina and Koodaideri mines. Rio Tinto plans to expand its iron ore mining capacity in Pilbara to 353 million mt per year by 2015, up from about 230 million mt per year in 2012.
Meanwhile, Rio Tinto has received approval from the Western Australian government for a $400 million railway and power investment. The government granted Rio Tinto a special railway license for a 53 km line and approved a 220 kV electricity transmission line to connect the new Hope Downs 4 mine to the existing Hope Downs 1 infrastructure.
This approval is a part of the development of the Hope Downs 4 mine with an annual capacity of 15 million mt, which is a joint venture with Australia's Hancock Prospecting.