Rio Tinto has announced the commencement of early works and final engineering studies aimed at nearly doubling production capacity at its Amrun bauxite mine on Cape York Peninsula, with first output from the expansion targeted as early as 2029.
The new project, named Kangwinan at the request of Traditional Owners, the Wik Waya people, will see the construction of a new mine and significant expansion of the existing Amrun port facilities.
The initiative is designed to boost annual bauxite production from Rio Tinto’s Weipa Southern operations by up to 20 million tonnes, increasing total capacity from 23 million to as much as 43 million tonnes per year.
Production from Kangwinan is intended to replace output from the Andoom mine in Cape York and the Gove mine in the Northern Territory, both of which are expected to close by the end of the decade.
This move is critical for maintaining supply to Rio Tinto’s Australian alumina refineries and export customers, particularly as global demand for aluminium continues to rise.
The Kangwinan project is expected to generate more than 800 construction jobs and sustain the existing workforce at Weipa’s mines slated for closure.
Approved early works include the development of a 250-room camp at Amrun Village for construction workers and the construction of an initial access road to the new mining area.
A final investment decision is scheduled for 2026, contingent on comprehensive cultural heritage consultations with the Wik Waya people, completion of engineering and environmental studies, and securing all necessary regulatory approvals.
Kangwinan is a culturally significant name for the Wik Waya people, representing a protector of sacred, ceremonial, and female protocols, as well as the black female crow — a totem of the tribe.
Rio Tinto’s integrated aluminium value chain begins with bauxite mined at Weipa, refined into alumina in Gladstone, and processed into aluminium at smelters across Australia and New Zealand.
The Kangwinan expansion is positioned as a strategic response to anticipated supply gaps and an opportunity to reinforce Rio Tinto’s dominance in the global aluminium market.
If approved, the new mining centre will be established 15 kilometres southeast of the Amrun facility, which itself began operations in 2018 following a US$1.9 billion investment.
