Rio Tinto obtains infrastructure material for its $2.6 billion Amrun bauxite project

Rio Tinto, one of the world’s largest metals and mining corporations, has reported the receipt of vital infrastructure pieces for its US$2.6 billion Amrun bauxite project on Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. The infrastructure pieces include 550t stacker and 1700t reclaimer, which arrived after 16 months of fabrication in Western Australia and a nine-day voyage to the Far North Queensland site.

Rio Tinto Amrun project general manager Marcia Hanrahan said, “The infrastructure has created employment on both sides of Australia with fabrication and part-commissioning of the modules generating 150 jobs for West Australians and 100 jobs for Queenslanders, who will construct and fully commission the units now they have arrived at site.”

The shiploader, final piece of infrastructure outstanding for the project, is expected to be shipped from Western Australia in the middle of the year.

In the first quarter of 2018, the Amrun project had committed US$2 billion to 1130 Australian suppliers, including 727 Queensland businesses, 71 Western Cape businesses, and 17 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses.

The firm currently has over 1000 employees on the site, out of which 80 per cent is Queenslanders and more than 160 is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander workers.