Overview
- The companies signed non‑binding MOUs to assess joint development of Rio Tinto’s Wunbye deposit and for BHP to supply ore from Yandi’s Lower Channel Deposit to Rio’s wet plants under agreed commercial terms.
- Work will proceed through a conceptual study followed by an order‑of‑magnitude study, and no final investment decision has been made.
- Any project execution would require regulatory and joint‑venture approvals as well as engagement with Traditional Owners.
- The collaboration targets up to 200 million tonnes of additional ore with first production contingent on approvals and potentially starting in the early 2030s.
- The initiative builds on their 2023 Mungadoo Pillar agreement and aims to extend mine life by leveraging existing Pilbara infrastructure to support jobs and local communities.