Rio Tinto's Weipa operations made a resilient comeback

Rio Tinto's Weipa operations bounced back in a big way in 2023. Despite a slow start to the year, the mining company managed to ship 35.12 million tonnes of bauxite from Weipa, an improvement from 34.52 million tonnes in 2022.

The journey wasn't without its challenges, as weather and equipment issues raised concerns during Easter. Only 7.49 million tonnes were shipped in the first quarter of the year. However, each quarter saw an increase, reaching 8.81, then 9.0, and finally 9.81 million tonnes in the last quarter of 2023.

Shona Markham, the general manager of Rio Tinto's Weipa operations, noted, "Due to the wet weather in Q1, 2023 was a challenging year but were able to make a strong recovery in the second half of the year".

Markham commended the team's efforts, saying, "We had a strong performance across our Weipa operations in Q4 and I want to acknowledge the efforts of everyone at all our sites in helping achieve our group bauxite guidance. “It demonstrates the outstanding results we can attain when we work together."

In addition to Weipa, Rio Tinto's Gove operation shipped 11.5 million tonnes of bauxite in 2023, and the company sourced additional bauxite from mines in Guinea and Brazil.