Rio Tinto said it will invest $1.9 billion to develop the Kangwinan bauxite project on the Western Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, underpinning the long-term future of its Weipa operations and continued supply to its international customers and Australian alumina refineries. The brownfield investment will add 20 million metric tons (mt) of annual bauxite production capacity in Weipa, leveraging some existing infrastructure, with first output targeted in 2029 and full production expected by 2032.

The project will replace production from the Andoom mine as it reaches the end of its life this decade, while increasing Weipa operations’ annual capacity to about 44 million mt, from current production of around 38 million mt per year. It will also help compensate for the planned end of production at the Gove mine in the Northern Territory in 2029.

“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 aluminum value chain,” said Rio Tinto Aluminum & Lithium Chief Executive Jérôme Pécresse. “As Kangwinan moves forward, and with the planned acquisition of the Aurukun Bauxite Project, we will keep listening and working together to create lasting value for Western Cape York, while respecting the connection Traditional Owners have to Country and making sure they continue to benefit sustainably from our operations. This investment will support jobs, create opportunities for local and regional businesses, and help us continue supplying our customers with the high-quality bauxite they have relied on for decades.”

The Kangwinan operations, where early works began in 2025, will establish a new bauxite production center 15 km southeast of Rio Tinto’s Amrun mine. A 15 km conveyor will transport ore from Kangwinan to expanded stockyard facilities and the existing Amrun wharf. The wharf will be expanded to accommodate larger capesize vessels, improving supply-chain efficiency and reducing freight costs. Construction will ramp up in 2027 and is expected to support more than 1,300 construction jobs.

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