Amrun

The Rio Tinto Amrun bauxite project near Weipa in far North Queensland, that was previously known as the 'South of Embley' project, has received a 'go ahead' approval from Rio Tinto head office. The Amrun project is located 40 kilometres south of the Andoom and East Weipa bauxite mines on Cape York Peninsula that are also owned by Rio Tinto. The project's name change is the result of an agreement between the Traditional Owners and Rio Tinto. Amrun being the traditional Wik-Waya name of the area where the project's processing and port facilities are to be situated.

Amrun to Secure Jobs for 1,400 Rio Tinto Weipa Workers

Development of the Amrun project will give jobs to about 1,100 construction workers and once operational, in 2019, will provide ongoing work for the company's existing workforce of about 1,400 employees and contractors who are presently working on Rio Tinto's other Cape York bauxite operations, 24 percent of whom are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. Rio Tinto will continue this close relationship with local indigenous people as it has done throughout its long time presence in the area.

Amrun Bauxite to be Refined at Gladstone

The Amrun bauxite project is expected to produce an initial 22.8 million tonnes of bauxite annually for the next 40 years, replacing the depleting production from the company's East Weipa mine, with an option to produce up to 50 million tonnes a year if necessary. The bauxite is to be refined at the Rio Tinto refineries at Gladstone in Queensland before being shipped to customers, mainly in China.

Amrun Project to be one of the World's Best Quality Bauxite Mines

The Amrun project, that will cost $1.9 billion to develop, will be one of the world's highest quality bauxite mines and is part of Rio Tinto's bauxite reserves in the Cape York Peninsula that contain a total of 1.49 billion tonnes and 1.91 billion tonnes of bauxite resources.

Amrun Mine to Lift Weipa Production by 10 Million Tonnes Annually

The Amrun project that will include the building of port and bauxite processing facilities, as well as the construction of an open cut bauxite mine, will expand the current Weipa bauxite production capacity by 10 million tonnes a year. It is an important part of Rio Tinto's worldwide bauxite and alumina business that has its headquarters located in Brisbane. The company's other Queensland operations include two refineries; Yarwin, that is fully owned by Rio Tinto and Queensland Alumina Limited, in which Rio Tinto have an 80 percent ownership, both refineries are located at Gladstone. The company also has a bauxite and alumina research development centre west of Brisbane, at Pullenvale.

Amrun Project has all Governmental Approvals

The Amrun project has been granted all the necessary government permits to allow it to go ahead with its construction and production stages. The Queensland (EIS) Environmental Impact Statement was approved in 2012 and the Federal Government's EIS was approved in 2013. Tenure is secured under the Comalco Act, a Queensland State Agreement Act of Parliament.

Rio Tinto have been mining bauxite in the Weipa area on Cape York Peninsula for more than 50 years. In 2005 the company began evaluating the possibility of constructing a new mine on part of its existing lease south of the Embley River. This new mine, the Amrun Bauxite Mine, located between Aurukun and Weipa, is now to become a reality.