Rio Tinto iron ore operations have restarted in the Pilbara, Western Australia following the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Damien.
The category 3 cyclone causes chaos across the Pilbara region, damaging roads, buildings and electrical infrastructure.
The region saw 162 millimetres of rainfall at Karratha Airport, which services Rio Tinto’s operations.
All of Rio Tinto’s Pilbara mines were impacted by Cyclone Damien, with the company expecting it will take time for normal operations to resume.
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The company’s Pilbara shipments are now expected to decrease from between 330 million tonnes and 343 million tones, to 324 million and 334 million tonnes.
Rio Tinto insisted the company was focussed on keeping disruption to a minimum.
Safety measures will continue throughout Rio Tinto’s Pilbara mines as the company works to fix any damage from the cyclone.
Rio Tinto will also continue to develop mining infrastructure in the Pilbara region, with completion of the $2.6 billion Koodaideri iron ore project slated for the end of 2021.