Rio Tinto to invest $1.9 billion in Queensland Bauxite Project
2026-10-23 11:12:11 [Print]
Rio Tinto said on Friday it will invest $1.9 billion to develop the Kangwinan bauxite project in Queensland, Australia, replacing output from its ageing Andoom mine and lifting annual production capacity at its Weipa bauxite operations.
The miner said the investment would add 20 million tonnes of annual bauxite production at Weipa, with first output targeted for 2029 and full production expected by 2032.
Located in Queensland, Weipa is one of the world's largest bauxite mining complexes. It supplies ore used to make alumina and aluminium for applications ranging from construction and transportation to packaging and renewable energy infrastructure.
Kangwinan will replace production from the Andoom mine near Weipa as it reaches the end of its life this decade, while increasing Weipa's annual production capacity to about 44 million tonnes from around 38 million tonnes currently.
The development will also help offset the planned 2029 closure of Rio's Gove bauxite mine in the Northern Territory.
Rio said the combined Amrun, Kangwinan and Aurukun operations are expected to support its Weipa bauxite business well beyond the middle of the century.
The miner said the investment would add 20 million tonnes of annual bauxite production at Weipa, with first output targeted for 2029 and full production expected by 2032.
Located in Queensland, Weipa is one of the world's largest bauxite mining complexes. It supplies ore used to make alumina and aluminium for applications ranging from construction and transportation to packaging and renewable energy infrastructure.
Kangwinan will replace production from the Andoom mine near Weipa as it reaches the end of its life this decade, while increasing Weipa's annual production capacity to about 44 million tonnes from around 38 million tonnes currently.
The development will also help offset the planned 2029 closure of Rio's Gove bauxite mine in the Northern Territory.
Rio said the combined Amrun, Kangwinan and Aurukun operations are expected to support its Weipa bauxite business well beyond the middle of the century.
Bauxite 58%min, Al/Si 5.0, Ex-VAT Delivered China
Unit:RMB/mt
China bauxite producers' inventory to production ratio statistics by province by month
Unit: %
