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REMONDIS Australia has secured a contract with Rio Tinto, a prestigious multinational mining company founded in 1873. Back then, the company reopened ancient copper mines beside the River Tinto in southern Spain – mines that dated back to the Bronze Age and which had been an important source of copper for the Roman Empire. With a turnover of 41.83 billion US dollars, Rio Tinto is now one of the world’s top three mining businesses alongside Anglo American and BHP Billiton and – since its takeover of Alcan – the world’s leading aluminium producer.
REMONDIS Australia will now be providing waste and recycling services to Rio Tinto’s mining operations in Cape York and the supporting township of Weipa, located in the very north of Australia. A quick look at the map makes it very clear just how challenging the logistics will be for this project. The south coast of Papua New Guinea is much closer to the mine than the nearest Australian city. Weipa is located approx. 2,500km north west of Brisbane and can only be accessed via an unsealed road in the dry season (April to December). Outside of these months, the region receives in the order of 2,000mm of rain and access to the town is often only possible via a 7-day barge voyage between Cairns and Weipa. REMONDIS Australia is more than happy to take on this challenge.
Recycling in the outback: 40 °C in the shade, dust and crocodiles
The company already has much experience of working at remote sites, for example when it managed waste for the construction of BG’s mega liquefied natural gas plant on Curtis Island. REMONDIS Australia’s experience and its capability to deliver flexible and innovative waste management solutions were the key reasons behind Rio Tinto’s decision to select the company to be its partner.
Sometimes, ships are the most practical form of transport in Australia. Here, REMONDIS’ specialist vehicles are being taken on board for their journey from Brisbane to Weipa
The contract began at the beginning of October with business units from all over Australia working together to mobilise specialised equipment in a very short period of only six weeks. In addition to procuring and preparing the equipment in this tight timeframe, the team also had to charter two large barges to send the equipment on a 10-day voyage from Brisbane to Weipa. The team must face some unusual challenges, including operating in extremely dusty conditions. Moreover, Australia’s largest salt water crocodiles are prevalent in the region and are frequently sighted in the town. A logistical feat, therefore, which could prove to be an incentive for other large businesses in Australia to collaborate with REMONDIS.