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Brockman key asset in Rio plans to boost Pilbara output, says Walsh

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By Stephen Bell

RIO Tinto plans to double iron ore output at its new Brockman 4 mine, the miner said today as it opened the $US1.5 billion facility.

Sam Walsh, chief executive for iron ore at Rio Tinto, said in a statement that Brockman featured significantly in expansion plans. Mr Walsh said the initial output of 22 million tons a year fits within Rio’s overall 220m ton capacity in the Pilbara region.

The Brockman 4 mine has been earmarked for future expansion to double the initial capacity, “and we would expect that additional tonnage to form an important component of our planned expansion of Pilbara capacity to 330m tons per annum”, Mr Walsh said.

Rio Tinto recently approved some initial funding for its next expansion, which involves a major upgrade of Cape Lambert port in Western Australia.