Rio Tinto's Winu Copper-Gold Mine in Australia Receives Development Consent from Traditional Landowners

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Rio Tinto and the Nyangumarta Warrarn Aboriginal Corporation have signed an agreement for the Winu copper-gold project. Under the agreement, the Nyangumarta traditional landowners consent to the development of the proposed Winu mine and its associated infrastructure on the relevant land. The project still requires regulatory and other necessary approvals and a final investment decision, with Rio Tinto currently targeting first copper production before 2030.

This agreement builds on the project planning agreement signed by both parties in 2023, covering land activities during the Winu project's planning and future development phases, and sets out arrangements for environmental and cultural heritage management and mechanisms for project implementation participation during mine construction and operation. If Winu is ultimately approved, it will be the first mine project within Nyangumarta traditional land.

Winu is located in the Great Sandy Desert region of Western Australia, approximately 300 kilometers from Broome. The project is being developed under a joint venture model, with Rio Tinto holding 70% and responsible for development and operation, and Sumitomo Metal Mining holding 30%. When the two parties signed the final joint venture agreement in 2025, the total consideration for Sumitomo Metal Mining's 30% interest was up to US$430.4 million, of which US$195 million was an upfront payment, with the remaining up to US$235.4 million tied to subsequent project milestones.

The initial project plan involves open-pit mining, with planned construction of ore processing facilities, waste rock dumps, tailings facilities, water supply wellfields, mine roads, and other supporting infrastructure. Project documents published by the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority show that the mine area also includes an open pit extending below the water table, and copper concentrate is planned to be transported by road to the Great Northern Highway and then to port for export. The initial processing capacity scenario in the project documents is up to approximately 10 million tonnes of ore per year.

Rio Tinto's previously announced Winu mineral resource includes 249 million tonnes of indicated resources at 0.55% copper equivalent grade; and 358 million tonnes of inferred resources at 0.46% copper equivalent grade, with total resources of approximately 608 million tonnes at 0.49% copper equivalent grade based on a 0.2% copper equivalent cut-off grade. The deposit still has potential for further extension.

Winu is currently undergoing the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority's highest-level Public Environmental Review process. The project's environmental review documents were made public on August 27, with the public comment period open until October 22; the project also requires federal-level environmental assessment under Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.