Rio Tinto and Baowu officially open Western Rang mine

The project development cost amounted to $2 billion

The Australian-British mining group Rio Tinto has announced the official opening of its new Western Range mine.

Western Range, a joint venture between Rio Tinto and China’s Baowu (54% and 46%, respectively), has a production capacity of 25 million tons of iron ore per year.

As noted, the $2 billion project was completed on time and on budget. It included the construction of a primary crusher and an 18-kilometer conveyor system linked to the existing Paraburdoo processing facility.

According to Rio Tinto CEO Jacob Stausholm, the opening of Western Range is an important step in the company’s expansion plans in the Pilbara region, and ensures the longevity of one of its oldest mining centers, Paraburdoo, which began operations in 1972.

“The Western Range is not only a strategic cornerstone in China Baowu and Rio Tinto’s global resource structure, but also a model for China-Australia economic and trade cooperation,” said Hu Wanming, Chairman of China Baowu Group.

Rio Tinto and Baowu’s partnership in the Pilbara region began in 2002. The first ore through the Western Range system was processed at the end of March this year.

Western Range is one of Rio Tinto’s replacement projects in the Pilbara region with a total annual capacity of about 130 million tons of ore per year. Over the next three years (2025-2027), the company plans to invest more than $13 billion in new mines, facilities, and equipment.

Rio Tinto continues to work on the pre-feasibility study for Rhodes Ridge, one of the largest and highest quality undeveloped iron ore deposits in the world. The company plans to reach an initial capacity of up to 40 million tons per year and produce first ore by 2030.

As a reminder, in the first quarter of 2025, Rio Tinto recorded the lowest supply volume since 2019 – only 70.7 million tons from deposits in the Pilbara region (Australia). This is below both last year’s figure of 78 million tons and the Visible Alpha market forecast of 73.6 million tons. Cyclones in Australia have disrupted the company’s plans, which warns of the risk of disrupting its 2025 forecast