Weipa bauxite mine

Rio Tinto Aluminium Weipa mines bauxite for Rio Tinto Aluminium operations and customers located worldwide. The Weipa bauxite mine underpins the Rio Tinto Aluminium business. The mine supplies bauxite to Rio Tinto Aluminium and its partners for the Queensland Alumina Limited refinery and Rio Tinto Aluminium Yarwun, both located in Gladstone, Queensland. These refineries produce alumina as feedstock for Rio Tinto Aluminium's smelting operations and for sale on the international market.

Rio Tinto Aluminium began mining activity at Weipa in the late 1950s, following discovery of the vast bauxite resource by a geologist working for Consolidated Zinc Pty Ltd named Harry Evans in 1955. Evans was assisted by three men, George Wilson, Old Matthew (whose traditional language name was Wak-matha, meaning Stormbird) and Lea Wassell.

Rio Tinto Aluminium supports Native Title rights and has continued its mining operations in consultation with the Traditional Owners of the region. The town of Weipa still formally remains under Rio Tinto Aluminium management, but the Weipa Town Authority has been established to represent residents and assist in the decision making process.

Bauxite mining is the first stage in the aluminium production process. Click here to read more about bauxite mining.

Location

The Western Cape Region is a diverse community reaching from the land near Aurukun in the south to almost the tip of Cape York in the north. There are 11 Traditional Owner groups represented in the area, and the region's population is based largely in five main communities or towns; Weipa, Aurukun, Napranum, Mapoon and New Mapoon.

Weipa is located 900km north-north-west of Cairns, Queensland. The town of Weipa was constructed by Rio Tinto Aluminium in the 1960s to house its mining workforce, but today is the regional hub of the Western Cape hosting many businesses and government services. The communities of Napranum, Aurukun and Mapoon have all developed on the site of former Presbyterian mission stations.

In addition to mining activities, the Western Cape's other significant industries include tourism, fishing and cattle. Respect for the land and its Traditional Owners is a very important component of life for those who live and work on the Western Cape. Rio Tinto Aluminium has signed an Indigenous Land Use Agreement - the Western Cape Communities Coexistence Agreement - with the Traditional Owner groups around Weipa under which their traditional rights to the land are formally recognised.

Operation data