Rio Tinto's Pilbara shipments hit record of 8 billion tonnes

The vessel, Juno Horizon, is currently en route to Nippon Steel Corporation in Japan, a destination steeped in symbolism. In August 1966, Rio Tinto's first ever Pilbara iron ore shipment sailed to the same country, laying the groundwork for an economic partnership that continues today.

"Japan was Rio Tinto's first customer for iron ore exports, and that partnership remains a cornerstone of our business today," said Rio Tinto's Iron Ore Chief Executive Matthew Holcz. "As global steel demand increases, we'll continue to invest in our Pilbara operations and local communities for decades to come," he stated.

While the 8 billion tonnes milestone celebrates the scale of the past, the company is also making efforts to sustain its Pilbara iron ore business in the future by developing new projects. It is advancing studies at Rhodes Ridge, one of the world's largest untapped iron ore deposits that has an estimated 6.8 billion tonnes of high-grade ore and a potential capacity of about 100 million tonnes/year.

The studies began in late 2025, and subject to relevant regulatory approvals, first ore from the initial Rhodes Ridge development is expected by 2030, as reported. The project will help the company achieve and sustain a capacity of 345-360 million t/y from its Pilbara iron ore business in the medium term, Rio Tinto stated.

The Australian miner shipped 72.4 million tonnes (100% basis) of iron ore from its Pilbara operations during the first quarter of this year, up 2% on year, Mysteel Global noted.

Written by Irene Zhuang, zhuangailing@mysteel.com

Edited by Alyssa Ren, rentingting@mysteel.com