Australia-based miner Rio Tinto has announced that it has delivered the first iron ore from its Gudai-Darri mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, which was commissioned recently.
The first autonomous AutoHaul™ trains loaded with ore from Gudai-Darri’s process plant have travelled the new 166-kilometre rail line that connects to Rio Tinto’s existing rail and port infrastructure. Production from the mine will continue to ramp up through the remainder of this year and is expected to reach full capacity during 2023. The capital cost for the mine is estimated to be $3.1 billion
The mine, which has an expected life of more than 40 years and an annual capacity of 43 million mt, will underpin future production of Pilbara Blend ™ product.
The mine’s commissioning and ramp-up is expected to increase Rio Tinto’s iron ore production volumes and improve the product mix from the Pilbara in the second half of this year. The full-year shipment guidance for 2022 remains at 320-335 million mt subject to risks around the ramp-up of new mines, weather, and the management of cultural heritage.