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. 1 2 3 "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.
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