Rio Tinto has announced the first delivery of ore at its Goodai Dali mine, as the mining company brings its first greenfield mine online in more than a decade in Western Australia’s Pilbara.
The company commented that Gudai Dali will help support the future of its flagship Pilbara blend.
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Rio Tinto says the first self-driving autohaul train transporting iron ore from the mine’s process plant will run on 166 kilometers of new rail line linking existing rail and port infrastructure, with production volumes continuing to increase into 2022 and 2022. He said he expects to reach full capacity by the end of the fiscal year. 2023.
Simon Trott, CEO of Rio Tinto, said: “The commissioning of Gudai Dali represents our first successful delivery of a greenfield mine in over 10 years, and is an important milestone for Rio Tinto’s flagship Pilbara mine. This will help support increased production of blends.”
“Rio Tinto has set a new standard for mine development through the introduction of technology and innovation to increase productivity and improve safety.”
“I would like to acknowledge the support of the Banjima People, the traditional owners of where Gudai Dari is located. We look forward to continuing to actively partner with them.”
The Gudaidari development was intended to support more than 3,000 jobs during construction and design, and the opened mine to support 600 ongoing permanent roles.
Rio Tinto added that the mine’s lifespan is estimated to be more than 40 years, with an annual production capacity of 43 million tonnes. The group said a feasibility study is underway to support expansion of the hub.
The company said project commissioning and ramp-up is expected to increase Rio Tinto’s ore production and improve its product mix from the Pilbara in 2022 HY2.
“In the midst of a global pandemic, the safe and successful delivery of Gudayi Dali was made possible by thousands of Rio Tinto employees and contractors, including local suppliers and Pilbara Aboriginal people in Western Australia. is a testament to our resilience and hard work,” said Mark Davis, Rio Tinto Chief Technology Officer.
“In building this new hub, we have brought together the best of our innovations, including self-driving trucks, trains, drills, and the world’s first self-driving water tanker, making Gudai Dali one of the most technologically advanced. I turned it into an iron ore mine.”
“This suite of autonomous assets complements other planned cutting-edge technology deployments such as robotic ore sampling laboratories, on-site mobile equipment for all personnel, digital assets for fixed plants, and in conjunction with data analytics. This will make you safer and more productive. ”
According to the mining group, the outlook for shipments in fiscal 2022 is between 320 million and 335 million tons.
Rio Tinto announced that the mine’s capital cost is now expected to be $3.1 billion, with the company’s capital expenditure guidance unchanged at $8 billion.
