PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner Rio Tinto this week said it was looking to increase capacity at its Gudai-Darri iron-ore mines, in the Pilbara, from 43-million tonnes a year to 50-million tonnes a year, at a cost of around A$130-million, through incremental productivity gains.

The $3.1-billion Gudai-Darri mine started production last year and reached its planned yearly capacity of 43-million tonnes in less than 12 months from first ore.

Rio said that the planned capacity increase would be achieved through upgrades within the plant, including chutes and conveyor belts, as well as using an existing incremental crushing and screening facility already on site.

The larger operation would require additional mining fleet, including haul trucks and diggers, as well as a small expansion of the product stockyards. The capacity increase is subject to environmental, heritage and other relevant approvals.

“What we have learnt during the rapid ramp-up of Gudai-Darri has given us the confidence to find better ways to increase capacity at our newest and most technologically advanced mine,” Rio Tinto iron-ore MD of Pilbara mines Matthew Holcz said.

“Rather than taking a capital-intensive approach to replicate existing infrastructure, we have now identified a low-capital pathway to creep capacity to 50-million tonnes a year.”

The capital intensity of any increase in capacity of Gudai-Darri is expected to be around $10/t.

Gudai-Darri is Rio’s most technologically advanced mine to date and features some of the most advanced cutting-edge technology, including a robotic ore sampling laboratory which provides visibility of the ore grades out of the mine within minutes. 

Autonomous trucks, trains and drills, which are standard across many of Rio Tinto's Pilbara mines are also present at the site, along with a digital replica of the processing plant which allows teams to quickly test different situations digitally before implementing.