Rio Tinto will invest AU$2.7 billion to develop the Kangwinan bauxite project on the Western Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, securing the long-term future of its Weipa operations.
The brownfield development will add 20 million tonnes of annual bauxite production capacity, lifting Weipa’s total annual output to approximately 44 million tonnes.
The project is designed to replace production from the aging Andoom mine later this decade and offset the scheduled closure of the Gove mine in the Northern Territory in 2029, maintaining continuous supply to international customers and Australian alumina refineries.
Early works on the project commenced in 2025, with major construction scheduled to ramp up in 2027. The build is expected to support more than 1,300 construction jobs, while sustaining a residentially based workforce of roughly 1,500 people in the region over the long term. First production is targeted for 2029, with full capacity anticipated by 2032.
The project involves establishing a new production centre 15 kilometres south-east of the existing Amrun mine.
A 15-kilometre conveyor system will transport ore to expanded stockyard facilities and an upgraded wharf capable of accommodating larger capesize vessels, boosting supply-chain efficiency and reducing freight expenses.
Rio Tinto Aluminium and Lithium CEO Jérôme Pécresse said: “Kangwinan is a strong vote of confidence in Weipa, in the quality of its bauxite, the capability of its workforce, and the future of the communities and businesses closely connected to our operations.
“The project represents the most significant new mining investment in Queensland in recent years and is a sign of Rio Tinto’s long-term commitment to its bauxite business, the state and our integrated mine-to-metal aluminium value chain.”
Named Kangwinan at the request of the Wik Waya Traditional Owners, honouring a tribal totem and protector of ceremonial protocols, the project builds on more than six decades of operations in Western Cape York.
Rio Tinto stated it will continue partnering closely with Traditional Owners to protect cultural heritage and local waterways.
The announcement follows last month’s agreement to acquire the adjacent Aurukun bauxite project.
Combined with Amrun and Kangwinan, these assets are projected to sustain Rio Tinto’s footprint in Western Cape York well beyond the middle of this century.
