Australian-listed NRW Holdings will undertake pre-mining site work at Rio Tinto’s US$1.8 billion Brockman Syncline 1 project in Western Australia’s Pilbara region under a new $110 million contract.
NRW said earthworks, roadworks and drainage related to the primary crusher, overland conveyor and non-process infrastructure, as well as haul roads, access roads and concrete structures, would be completed ahead of Rio Tinto’s planned production start in 2027.
The contractor recently finished the Western Turner Northern Access Road and is building a haul road between the Brockman 4 to Brockman 2 sites for Rio Tinto.
Brockman Syncline 1, a satellite orebody about 8km north of the circa-40 million tonnes per annum Brockman 4 mine, is planned to deliver up to 34 million tonnes per annum of iron ore to Rio Tinto’s existing processing infrastructure.
Rio Tinto Iron Ore CEO Simon Trott said earlier this year BS1 would extend the life of the Brockman hub. It was part of a tranche of replacement projects with total annual capacity of about 130Mtpa.
“Rio Tinto has been mining iron ore in the Pilbara for almost six decades and our tranche of new mines will ensure we can continue to supply the globe’s ongoing need for iron ore, for decades to come,” he said.
Rio Tinto and Hancock Iron Ore said last month they would invest $1.61 billion to develop the Hope Downs 2 iron ore project in the Pilbara. The former’s $0.8 billion spend there is part of its plus-$13 billion investment between 2025 and 2027 in new Pilbara iron ore mines, plant and equipment.
