CAPITAL INVESTMENTS – WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Glencore walks away from taxpayer-funded clean energy pivot

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 29-Oct-25

Anglo-Swiss miner Glencore has advised that it will not proceed with a proposed renewable energy and battery hub at its Murrin Murrin nickel mine and refinery in Western Australia. Glencore had received a $35m grant from the federal government’s Powering the Regions Fund to help finance the development of an 849-hectare renewables hub at Murrin Murrin, which currently operates its own gas-fired power station. A spokesman for Glencore says it decided to cancel the onsite hybrid renewable energy project due to a range of macroeconomic and cost factors. Glencore and the government have agreed to mutually terminate the grant.

CORPORATES
GLENCORE PLC

Rio, Japanese in Pilbara mine deal

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Original article by Mark Wembridge
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 8-Oct-25

Rio Tinto has secured state and federal government approvals to develop new iron ore deposits at the West Angelas hub in the Pilbara. Rio Tinto and its Robe River joint venture partners, Mitsui and Nippon Steel, will invest $US733m ($1.1bn) to expand the West Angelas mine, with Rio Tinto to contribute $US389m. The expansion of West Angelas will maintain its annual production capacity of 35 million tonnes. Rio Tinto launched its Western Range iron ore joint venture with China-based Baowu in June, as part of its ongoing commitment to the Pilbara.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, MITSUI AND COMPANY LIMITED, NIPPON STEEL AND SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION, CHINA BAOWU STEEL GROUP CORPORATION LIMITED

Rio to open $1bn Pilbara mine

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 27 : 28-Nov-19

Rio Tinto has advised that it will invest $US749m ($1bn) on the Western Turner Syncline 2 expansion at its Tom Price iron ore hub in the Pilbara. Exports are slated to commence in 2021, and the output will replace existing production at other Pilbara mines rather than adding new capacity. Rio Tinto also intends to deploy autonomous haulage trucks at the Western Turner Syncline 2 project.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

Rio approves $3.5bn Pilbara iron ore mine

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Original article by Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 21 : 30-Nov-18

Rio Tinto has advised that annual production at its new Koodaideri mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara will be 43 million tonnes, compared with previous expectations of 40 million tonnes. There is also scope to increase output by 27 million tonnes in the second phase of the project. The cost of developing Koodaideri has risen by $US400m to $US2.6bn ($A3.5bn) since the initial feasibility study estimate was released two years ago. Production is slated to commence in 20201.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

Pilbara mine investment to create hundreds of jobs

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Original article by Hamish Hastie
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 2-Oct-18

The mine life of the Robe River iron ore joint venture will be extended after Rio Tinto and its partners in the project announced plans to develop up to five new deposits. Rio Tinto, Mitsui and Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation will invest a combined $US1.55bn ($2.14bn) to expand the West Angelas and Robe Valley mines. Rio Tinto, which has a 53 per cent stake in the joint venture, will contribute $US820m ($1.13m). The expansion is expected to create up to 1,200 jobs.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, MITSUI AND COMPANY LIMITED, NIPPON STEEL AND SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP

Spotlight on iron ore about to shift to Rio Tinto

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 23 : 18-Jun-18

Recent announcements from BHP Billiton and Fortescue Metals Group that they will develop new iron ore mines in the Pilbara has prompted speculation as to when Rio Tinto will make a similar announcement. Koodaideri is widely tipped to be Rio’s next iron ore mine, and the project was first discussed by the resources giant’s board in late 2013. Rio Tinto’s head of iron ore, Chris Salisbury, is scheduled to hold a series of briefings and site visits for investors over the next week, although an announcement on Koodaideri is not expected to be made until later in the year.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, SHAW AND PARTNERS LIMITED, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, HANCOCK PROSPECTING PTY LTD

BHP approves $4.5b South Flank iron ore mine in Western Australia

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 15-Jun-18

Production at BHP Billiton’s South Flank iron ore mine in the Pilbara will commence in 2021, after its board approved the $US3.4bn ($A4.49bn) project. BHP will contribute $US2.9bn ($A3.8bn) to South Flank’s development, with its partners Itochu and Mitsui to provide the rest of the funding. South Flank is slated to produce 80 million tonnes of iron ore annually over a 25-year mine life, and will replace BHP’s Yandi mine. The project will increase BHP’s average iron grade from 61 per cent to 62 per cent.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, ITOCHU COAL RESOURCES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MITSUI AND COMPANY LIMITED, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Lithium processing in WA grows to five plants

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 24 : 7-Jun-18

Neometals proposes to build a lithium hydroxide plant near Kalgoorlie, with an annual processing capacity of 10,000 tonnes. Should the project proceed, it will increase the potential lithium processing capacity in Western Australia to around 200,000 tonnes a year, given that four other plants have either been proposed or are under construction in the state. Neometals plans to source spodumene for the plant from the Mount Marion lithium mine. A final investment decision is expected in mid-2019.

CORPORATES
NEOMETALS LIMITED – ASX NMT, KIDMAN RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX KDR, SOCIEDAD QUIMICA Y MINERA SA, MINERAL RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX MIN, TIANQI LITHIUM CORPORATION, ALBERMARLE CORPORATION, MORGAN STANLEY AND COMPANY INCORPORATED, GLOBAL ADVANCED METALS PTY LTD, RESOURCE CAPITAL FUNDS, SUPREME COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, CITY OF KALGOORLIE-BOULDER

BHP puts pedal to metal for South Flank mine plan

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Original article by Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 31 : 27-Jun-17

BHP Billiton has signalled that it is likely to make a final investment decision on its South Flank iron ore project in Western Australia by mid-2018. BHP has allocated $US184m in initial funding for the project, which is forecast to cost between $US2.4bn and $US3.2bn to develop. South Flank is BHP’s preferred option to replace the Yandi iron ore mine, which produces 80 million tonnes a year but is approaching the end of its mine life.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG

Policy dividing state’s industry

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 6 : 19-May-16

Energy Quest’s Graeme Bethune says Western Australia’s requirement that 15 per cent of LNG production must be reserved for domestic use does not appear to have had much impact on gas prices in the state. Critics of the policy include the state’s Economic Regulation Authority, which concluded in 2014 that it deters investment in the gas industry. However, the DomGas alliance argues that there has been a sharp rise in investment since the policy was introduced in 2006.

CORPORATES
ENERGYQUEST PTY LTD, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. ECONOMIC REGULATION AUTHORITY, DOMGAS ALLIANCE, CHEVRON CORPORATION, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, SINO IRON PTY LTD