Corumbá
Rio Tinto Iron Ore's Corumbá operations (Mineração Corumbaense Reunida) is located in western Brazil, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul.
In Corumbá, ore is mined from an open pit, and processed on site. Iron ore is barged along the Paraguay River to South American and European customers.
Rio Tinto will invest US$2.15 billion in a major expansion of Corumbá, boosting annual capacity of the mine more than six-fold from 2 million tonnes per annum to 12.8 million tonnes, with new production commencing in the fourth quarter of 2010. The company will also undertake a feasibility study, to be completed by mid-2009, for a Phase II expansion that would take capacity to 23.2 million tonnes per annum.
The expansion of Corumbá, which produces high-quality blast-furnace lump and direct reduction products, will capitalise on increasing demand for iron ore in South America and the Middle East, and increase Rio Tinto's presence in Europe.
US$2.11 billion will be used for expansion of the Corumbá mine and its associated logistics chain (100 percent Rio Tinto), including US$121 million in long-lead items. A further US$42 million will fund the Phase II feasibility study.
Two new ports will be constructed together with improved infrastructure networks to link the 2,500-kilometre, multi-national supply chain. In addition, a new long-term trans-shipping services contract will enable ocean-going vessels to be topped up before shipping to markets.
During construction, the project will employ close to 2,500 people in Corumbá and La Agraciada in Uruguay, with at least a doubling of permanent workforce across mine, ports and river operations to more than 1,600. It will also contribute to both state and municipal tax revenues.
Rio Tinto will be assisted with project management by Sandwell Canada Inc., a company with substantial ports and water logistics expertise, and experience of delivering projects in South America and by Brazilian contractor, SNC Minerconsult on mine plant aspects.
For further information about our Corumbá operation, please visit http://www.riotinto.com.br/
Key Data
| Employees | 650 |
|---|---|
| Location | Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil |
| Operation | Open pit operation with site-based processing facilities. |
| Logistics |
Product is transported using barges along the Paraguay and Parana River to ship loading facilities. It takes approximately 15 days for the barges to reach San Nicholas, Argentina. |
| Ship loading capacity | Each barge can carry 1,800 tonnes. One convoy with 16 barges can carry approximately 28,800 tonnes; and for 20 barges up to 40,000 tonnes. It takes about 36 hours for a convoy of 18 barges to load. |
| Working arrangements | Employees live in nearby towns, Corumbá and Ladário, in Mato Grosso do Sul State. |
| Production | Two million tonnes per annum. |
|
Products |
Lump iron ore and sinter feed. |
| Geology | The iron ore and manganese is related to the Jacadigo Group with Early Proterozoic age. The deposit is located in the Rio Apa Shield and the iron ore is derived from the weathering of jaspilitics rocks. The iron sequence has thickness of 300 meters, divided in 16 stratigrafic units, representing different cycles of iron sediments deposition. The establishment of these units is based on the presence or not of layers of sand - clay iron sediments intermingled in hematitic (jaspilitic) layers. The physical and chemical characteristics of these units are constant throughout the deposit and the high quality of the products ensures the area provides one of the best lump ores in the world. |
| First year of operation | 1979 |
|
Ownership |
Rio Tinto Brasil. |
| Assets | CAT Motor grader CAT Wake Truck Guindauto Ford Cargo Lubrification Train - Comboio de Lubrificação Genie Lighting Tower - Torre de Iluminação Genie Liebherr Hydraulic excavator CAT Wake Truck CAT Loading shovel Scania Truck Rossetti Trailer |
| Accreditation | ISO 14001 OHSAS 18.001 SA 8000 |
| Local Government |
Partido dos Trabalhadores (Ruiter Cunha de Oliveira) |
Latest media releases
- 12 September 2008
Rio Tinto wins prestigious environment awards - the Golden Geckos - 11 September 2008
Simandou update - 03 September 2008
Rail incident at Cape Lambert