REG - Rio Tinto - Robe River JV invest $733m to extend West Angelas

Rio TintoAnnouncement

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RNS Number : 2560C  Rio Tinto PLC  07 October 2025

Notice to ASX/LSE

 

Robe River Joint Venture to invest $733 million to extend West Angelas iron
ore mine in Western Australia

07 October 2025

 

Rio Tinto, Mitsui and Nippon Steel will invest $733 million(1) (Rio Tinto
share $389 million) to develop the West Angelas Sustaining Project, part of
the Robe River Joint Venture in Western Australia's Pilbara region.

 

The project, to develop new iron ore deposits in the West Angelas hub, has now
received all necessary State and Federal Government approvals.

 

The deposits will maintain the West Angelas hub's total annual production
capacity of 35 million tonnes, extending mining activity for years to come.

 

Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Matthew Holcz said: "The West Angelas
Sustaining Project is built on strong and committed partnerships, both with
the joint venture members Mitsui and Nippon Steel, as well as the Yinhawangka
and Ngarlawangga Peoples.

 

"The West Angelas hub has been an integral part of Rio Tinto Iron Ore since
2002. Securing these approvals ensures ongoing investment in the hub as we
continue to supply high-quality, reliable iron ore to meet our global
customers' demand now and into the future."

 

Rio Tinto worked closely with the Yinhawangka and Ngarlawangga Peoples to
co-design Social Cultural Heritage Management Plans for the West Angelas
Sustaining Project to ensure the ongoing protection and management of cultural
heritage and the environment.

 

The project will leverage existing West Angelas processing infrastructure and
includes the construction of new non-process infrastructure precincts and
22-kilometres of haul roads.

 

Ore mined at the new deposits will be autonomously trucked to the West Angelas
hub, with first ore scheduled for 2027.

 

About 600 jobs will be created during construction. Once operational, the
project will help sustain a workforce of about 950 full time equivalent roles
at the West Angelas hub.
 

 

The West Angelas Sustaining Project is part of Rio Tinto's tranche of
replacement projects that underpin the company's ongoing commitment to the
Pilbara, and which will have combined total capacity of about 130Mtpa(2).

 

Additionally, work is well progressed on the pre-feasibility study for Rhodes
Ridge, one of the world's largest and highest quality undeveloped iron ore
deposits, which is targeting an initial capacity of up to 40Mtpa and first ore
by 2030.

 

Additional information

 

The Robe River Joint Venture comprises Rio Tinto (53 per cent), Mitsui Iron
Ore (33 per cent) and Nippon Steel (14 per cent).

 

The Joint Venture dates back to 1972, when operations began in the Robe Valley
near Pannawonica, followed by an expansion at West Angelas in 2002. It marked
(https://www.riotinto.com/en/news/releases/2022/robe-river-joint-venture-partners-celebrate-50-year-anniversary)
its 50(th) anniversary in 2022.

 

 

 

Footnotes

 

(1) All currency figures are in US dollars and on a 100 per cent basis,
unless otherwise specified. The capital for the project is already included in
the Group's replacement capital guidance.

 

(2) Subject to timing of full capacity. The replacement projects include
Western Range which, as previously announced
(https://www.riotinto.com/en/news/releases/2025/rio-tinto-and-baowu-open-western-range-iron-ore-mine-in-the-pilbara-with-yinhawangka-traditional-owners)
, was opened on 6 June 2025, Brockman Syncline 1, as announced
(https://www.riotinto.com/en/news/releases/2025/rio-tinto-to-invest-1_8-billion-to-develop-brockman-mine-extension-in-western-australias-pilbara)
on 6 March 2025, Hope Downs 2, as announced
(https://www.riotinto.com/en/news/releases/2025/rio-tinto-and-hancock-prospecting-to-invest-1-6-billion-to-develop-the-hope-downs-2-project-in-western-australias-pilbara)
on 24 June 2025, West Angelas (this project) and Greater Nammuldi.

 

LEI: 213800YOEO5OQ72G2R82

Contacts

Please direct all enquiries to media.enquiries@riotinto.com

 

 

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This announcement is authorised for release to the market by Andy Hodges, Rio
Tinto's Group Company Secretary.

 

 

riotinto.com

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