Rio Tinto Completes Expansion of Pilbara Iron Ore Complex

Rio Tinto has announced a major milestone in the Pilbara integrated mining project in Australia, which is commissioned two months ahead of schedule. The project includes a system of iron ore mines, railways and seaports, producing 290 million tons per year.

This achievement underlines the world-class status of Rio Tinto's Australian iron ore operations. In addition, the completion of the infrastructure components was commissioned four months ahead of schedule. Rio Tinto Iron Ore CEO Andrew Harding said: “This is an important milestone that increases the real value of our business to our shareholders by increasing the Pilbara iron ore volumes and lowering costs.

Currently, the company is focused on the next stage of expansion in the amount of 360 million tons per year. Infrastructure projects are on schedule with completion in just over 12 months. Rio Tinto achieved a 290 Mtpa production increase, but Rio Tinto is completing its 360 Mtpa expansion and is implementing an integration with the AutoHaul® project, the world's first automated heavy-duty rail system.

Further expansion of the Pilbara infrastructure, providing an increase in iron ore production by 360 million tons per year, will be completed by the end of the first half of 2015, and between 2014 and 2017, the mine's production capacity will increase by more than 60 million tons per year. ...