Weipa bauxite mine

Mining equipment at the mine, 1995
Location
Queensland
CountryAustralia
Production
ProductsBauxite
Production34.5 million tonnes
History
Discovered1955
Opened1963 (1963)
Owner
CompanyRio Tinto
Websitewww.riotinto.com/Operations/australia/weipa

The Weipa bauxite mine is a bauxite mine at Weipa on the western Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Australia. A geologist named Harry Evans discovered the vast bauxite resource in 1955.[1] Operations commenced in 1963.

The mine is owned by Rio Tinto. Power to the mine is supplied via a 6.7MW solar photovoltaic solar farm on site.[1] The majority of the mined bauxite is sent to the Queensland Alumina Limited and Rio Tinto Aluminum Yarwun refineries, both located in Gladstone.[1]

History

Difficult market conditions lead to a nine per cent cut in production in 2009.[2] In 2009, 16.3 million tonnes of bauxite was produced at the mine.[3] In 2022, production totaled 34.5 million tonnes.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Mine spotlight: Weipa bauxite mine". Mining Digital. 17 May 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Rio to cut Weipa mine production". ABC News. 12 February 2009. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Weipa, Australia". The International Aluminium Institute. Retrieved 20 October 2023.