Rio Tinto to start operations at its new bauxite project

Rio Tinto has awarded a $70 million bulk earthworks contract for infrastructure development to QBrit, a civil engineering firm, at its Amrun bauxite project in northern Queensland.

As per company, the contract will create 150 employment opportunities in addition to supporting   1400 continued workforce based in Weipa’s bauxite mine. The Amrun bauxite project will also support 2000 employees at the Yarwun and Queensland Aluminium refineries in Gladstone that are fed with the bauxite.


Stephen McIntosh, Rio Tinto’s growth and innovation group executive said QBirt’s work on roads and infrastructures was important for future Amrun operations.

QBirt will construct about 40 kilometres of sealed access roads and a haul road network and will develop the mine stockpile zone, tailings and separation ponds and other site infrastructure.

Managing director of QBirt, Quentin Birt said, “After the success of our accelerated construction mine haul road network at Weipa, this new Amrun contract only strengthens our long-term relationship with Rio Tinto.”

Acting State Development Minister Bill Byrne commented: “This project builds on Rio Tinto’s long-standing existing operations in Gladstone and Weipa which have supplied the raw product used to produce 10 per cent of the world’s aluminium.”

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The construction of Amrun bauxite project is likely to commence in the current quarter and will be completed by the end of 2018.

QBirt has constructed 300,000 cubed metres of embankment and seven kilometres of mine haul roads at the Weipa bauxite mine and is presently undertaking construction of a tailings facility at Rio Tinto’s Yarwun alumina refinery. This Amrun contract will further extend their relation with Rio Tinto.