RIO this morning.
Iron ore: Pilbara achieved its second highest Q3 shipments since 2019, up 6% from Q2. As part of our Iron Ore replacement strategy, West Angelas Sustaining Project received all Government approvals in October.
– At the end of Q3, we had around 1.5 Mt of stockpiled ore at the SimFer mine gate. With that, we started loading first ore at the mine for movement down the rail and to the port in October. Ore will be railed from the SimFer mine to the main rail line via the SimFer rail spur and initially shipped through the WCS port while construction of the SimFer port is finalised. This marks the start of commissioning tests of the full system infrastructure (mine to rail to port). Commissioning will be a complex process, expected to continue over several months, thereafter, ramping up to full capacity over 30 months as planned.
– First shipment – we expect to start loading a vessel around November.
– Non-managed infrastructure – our partners confirm that construction is progressing well and is on track.
– SimFer mine is progressing to plan – bulk earthworks and permanent process facilities construction continue. First ore is expected through the permanent crushing facilities in H2 2026, on schedule and aligned with plan. Ore continues to be crushed and stockpiled through the temporary crushers.
– SimFer rail spur is progressing well – tunnel works completed in August and the rail spur is now ready to deliver first ore.
– SimFer port continues to advance ahead of plan – fabrication of the transhipment vessels is continuing at a shipyard in China.
– Workforce across all the SimFer scope of mine, rail and port has reached 25,200 with 82% Guinean participation.
Guidance remains for a 30-month ramp-up to 60mt, 120mt with WCS blocks included.
I expect further mine developments to access the infrastructure over time to lift production materially higher.
