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Australia
Weipa Mine

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 Location:
0 km from Weipa, Queensland, Australia

  Address:
Lorim Point
Weipa
Queensland, Australia
4874
Phone  ...  Subscription required
Fax07-4069-9200
WebsiteWeb
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  • Overview
  • Owners
  • Geology
  • Mining
  • Processing
  • Production
  • Reserves
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

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Overview

StageProduction
Mine TypeOpen Pit
Commodities
  • Bauxite
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Processing
  • Wash plant
Mine Life2042
The Weipa operations consist of two continuous mining operations at East Weipa and Andoom, two beneficiation plants, 19 kilometres of railway to transport mined bauxite to the port area, two stockpiles and two ship loaders.
Latest NewsRio Tinto Changes to Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves     February 17, 2021


Owners

Source: p. 188
CompanyInterestOwnership
Rio Tinto plc 100 % Indirect
Rio Tinto Alcan Inc. 100 % Indirect
RTA Weipa Pty Ltd 100 % Direct

Deposit Type

  • Bauxite


Summary:

The bauxite deposit at Weipa, in north Queensland, is a 2 to 6 m thick pisolithic bauxite overlying a lateritic weathering profile about 30 m deep.

The bauxite overlies two different substrates. On the Weipa Peninsula, Tertiary fluvial sands and clays of the Bulimba Formation form the substrate, whereas on the Andoom Peninsula the substrate is glauconitic marine sediments of the Normanton Formation, a part of the Rolling Downs Group. The major difference between the two regions is the presence of quartz at Weipa and its absence at Andoom.

The lateritic profile at Weipa follows the classic sequence from bedrock though saprock and saprolite to a plasmic (pallid or bleached) zone, up to a mottled zone having a ferruginous duricrust of variable cementation at its top. Above the duricrust is the lateritic gravel—the bauxite. The bauxite is entirely pisolithic and oolithic, with only sporadic cementation of these particles. Consequently the bauxite is loose and is free-flowing whenever a vertical edge is created. The base of the bauxite (top of the lateritic duricrust or iron-stone) coincides with the top of the wet season watertable. Soils over the bauxite are grey-brown sandy loams with a very thin A-horizon and a redbrown to yellow B horizon. Locally there are yellow podsolic soils.


Mining Methods

  • Truck & Shovel / Loader


Summary:

The Weipa operations consist of two continuous mining operations at East Weipa and Andoom, two beneficiation plants, 19 kilometres of railway to transport mined bauxite to the port area, two stockpiles and two ship loaders.

Bauxite ore in Weipa is found in a layer three to four metres deep in the form of small, red pebbles, called pisolites.

Vegetation is removed from the site to be mined and scrapers strip the topsoil (which varies in depth from one to ten metres). Front-end loaders use a shallow, opencut technique to load the bauxite, which lies below the topsoil, into bottom-dump trucks that carry the ore to the dump station. The bauxite is then transported to the beneficiation plant by rail or conveyor.

At the beneficiation plant, the ore is screened and washed, then placed into stockpiles prior to loading onto ships.


Crushing and Grinding


Processing

  • Wash plant

Source: Subscription required

Summary:

The bauxite is washed and screened at the beneficiation plants. Once washed, the ore becomes ‘product’ and is stored on stockpiles. Andoom product is transported to the stockpiles by train.

Weipa bauxite mined by Rio Tinto in Queensland Australia is pisolitic, with the silica level (both kaolinitic and quartz) decreasing with increasing pisolite size. The beneficiation plant operated by Rio Tinto “wet” screens at a specific pisolite size and the undersize (tailings) are rejected. The cut-off size of ~1.7 mm (Weipa ore) and ~0.4 mm (Andoom).


Production:

CommodityUnits201920182017201620152014
Bauxite kt  ......  Subscription required  ......  Subscription required30,89829,42727,66326,266
All production numbers are expressed as ore.
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics2015
Annual production capacity 28 Mt of bauxite ore

Reserves at December 31, 2019:

CategoryTonnage CommodityGrade
Proven & Probable 146 Mt Bauxite 50.8 %
Measured 11 Mt Bauxite 52.1 %


Heavy Mobile Equipment:

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jan 22, 2021
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Jan 22, 2021
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

Staff:

EmployeesYear
Subscription required 2017

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
................................... Subscription required 2019
................................... Subscription required 2018
Annual Report 2017
Sustainability Report 2017
Annual Report 2016
Annual Report 2015
Other 2015
Other 2005
Subscription required - Subscription is required.

News:

NewsDate
Rio Tinto Changes to Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves February 17, 2021

Aerial view:

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