The Pilbara, Western Australia

In the Pilbara region of Western Australia, we own a world-class, integrated network of 18 mines, 4 independent port terminals, a rail network spanning nearly 2,000 kilometres and related infrastructure – all designed to respond rapidly to changes in demand. We are one of the world’s leading producers and exporters of iron ore.

Gudai-Darri: Our most technologically advanced mine

In addition to technology already in use across our operations – such as autonomous trucks, trains, and drills – Gudai-Darri is far more automated and digitised, including advanced data analytics. This level of automation allows us to operate equipment and vehicles remotely from Perth, improving safety and efficiency. Significant innovations include a digital replica of the processing plant that’s accessible in real time by workers in the field, as well as integrated mine automation and simulation systems. Other innovations include autonomous water carts, a rotable bucket wheel reclaimer, and a fully automated laboratory integrated within the mine. Gudai-Darri sets a benchmark for our industry in terms of automation and using real-time data to drive decisions – making mining safer and more productive.

  • Pilbara - Western Range

    Western Range

    In September 2022, we agreed to form a joint venture with China Baowu Steel Group to develop the Western Range iron ore project in the Pilbara, Western Australia (Rio Tinto 54%, Baowu 46%). Construction at Western Range started in 2023 with first ore delivered in 2024 utilising existing infrastructure, with a new crusher at Western Range mine operational in 2025. Western Range’s annual production capacity of 25 million tonnes of iron ore will help sustain Pilbara Blend production from our existing Paraburdoo mining hub.
  • Gudai-Darri

    Automated water carts

    Automated water carts at Gudai-Darri are operated from 1,500 km away in a control centre in Perth. They have a 160,000-litre tank, a 33% increase on our previous largest water carts.
  • Gudai-Darri

    Paperless sites

    Gudai-Darri’s private wireless data network improves site safety by giving our people access to relevant and current information while in the field.
  • Gudai-Darri solar farm, Pilbara

    Powering the Pilbara with renewables

    A 34 MW solar plant at Gudai-Darri, together with the new battery electric storage system at Tom Price, is set to reduce our annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by about 90,000 tonnes – the same amount produced by 6,000 homes in Australia every year.
  • Gudai-Darri site

    Rotable reclaimer bucket system

    Traditionally, reclaimer maintenance requires piece-by-piece removal of components while the machine is out of service, resulting in shutdowns that are complex and high risk for our people. The patent-pending, rotable bucket system allows the entire bucket wheel module to be changed out for maintenance, improving safety and reducing scheduled loss.
  • Gudai-Darri

    A mine of the future

    Located about 110 kilometres north-west of Newman in Western Australia, Gudai-Darri is a remote mine site nestled in the heart of the beautiful Pilbara region.
  • Gudai-Darri

    Remote-controlled haul trucks

    Gudai-Darri’s fleet of autonomous haul trucks allow us to operate equipment and vehicles remotely from Perth, improving safety and efficiency.
  • Gudai-Darri

    Building our iron ore capacity

    Gudai-Darri achieved first ore in 2022, and is now operating at full capacity. Our process plant has an annual, average capacity of 46Mtpa of iron ore, and we're planning to incrementally increase Gudai-Darri's capacity to 50Mtpa.

Innovation in our Western Australian Iron Ore operations

Our integrated iron ore network is supported by our Operations Centre in Perth, a state-of-the-art facility that enables all the autonomous trucks, trains and drills at our mines, ports and rail systems to be operated from a single location. The Centre combines visualisation and collaboration tools to provide real-time information across our demand chain and allows us to optimise our mining, maintenance and logistic activities across the Pilbara in a way never before possible.

In 2019, we launched the world’s first automated heavy-haul rail network – named AutoHaul™ – capable of moving about one million tonnes of iron ore a day. AutoHaul™ improves safety by reducing risk at level crossings and through automated responses to speed restrictions and alarms, eliminating the need to transport drivers to and from trains mid-journey. This saves almost 1.5 million kilometres of road travel every year. It also improves cycle times by using information about network topography to calculate and deliver a safe, consistent driving strategy.

Almost 90% of our haul truck fleet across our Pilbara sites is also autonomous. These trucks, which use pre-defined GPS courses to automatically navigate haul roads and intersections, and which continuously track actual locations, speeds and directions of other vehicles, allow us to move more material, more efficiently and safely, increasing productivity.

We are a global industry leader in autonomous haulage and are the only organisation in the world to operate 2 different Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Autonomous Haulage Systems (AHS).

We also continue to expand our Autonomous Drilling System (ADS) and now have a fleet of 40 production drills across 7 sites. ADS allows us to monitor multiple drills from different manufacturers across multiple sites from remote drill consoles in Perth.

Our Pilbara mines

Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Channar, Eastern Range, Marandoo, Brockman 2, Brockman 4, Nammuldi, Western Turner Syncline, Silvergrass, West Angelas, Hope Downs 1, Hope Downs 4, Yandicoogina, Robe Valley (Mesa A), Robe Valley (Mesa J), Gudai-Darri and Western Range.

Ports

Four independent shipping terminals at 2 locations, Cape Lambert and Dampier, managed as a single port system.

Rail network

The largest privately-owned and operated rail system in Australia, including the world’s first automated heavy-haul rail network, AutoHaul™. Services 18 mines via mainline systems of nearly 2,000 kilometres.

Power plants

We have 4 major power generation stations that provide power to our Pilbara community and operational sites. The 4 power stations are Paraburdoo, Yurralyi Maya, West Angelas and Cape Lambert.

Featured stories

Two people in industrial work attire with safety gloves shaking hands inside a manufacturing plant

Joining forces for positive impact

Joint ventures drive meaningful outcomes for the mining sector
A Rio Tinto employee walking toward a vehicle at a mining site.

Millions of meals

A peek inside the logistics of feeding and housing our fly in and fly-out (FIFO) workforce in Western Australia.
Gudai-Darri solar farm, Pilbara

Harnessing renewables to decarbonise the Pilbara

Sun and wind will power one of the world's largest microgrids

Latest Iron Ore Western Australia releases

05 May 2026

Sodexo awarded contract to manage Rio Tinto’s Pilbara facilities

PERTH, Australia -- Sodexo has been awarded a new contract to provide facilities management for Rio Tinto’s fly-in fly out (FIFO) accommodation villages, residential houses and operational sites in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.The seven-year contract, with an option to extend for an additional three years, commences in June 2026. It was awarded after a thorough global partner selection proce

28 April 2026

Rio Tinto’s A$100m boost for essential service worker housing in the Pilbara

PERTH, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rio Tinto will invest A$100 million to support the Western Australian Government’s building of more than 500 homes for regional frontline workers, as part of its new Seven Cities Vision for regional WA. The state’s Government Regional Officer Housing (GROH) program will deliver new homes to Karratha, where many Rio Tinto employees live and work, as well as

23 April 2026

Rio Tinto donates A$1.5m to WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services to help with Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle recovery

PERTH, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rio Tinto will donate A$1.5 million to support communities impacted by Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle in Western Australia. The contribution to the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) will assist with relief and recovery efforts across Western Australian communities impacted by Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle, while also supporting longer-ter

Growth

We are continually investing in our operations in the Pilbara, introducing next generation technologies that can deliver greater efficiency, lower production costs and improved health, safety and environmental performance.

In June 2022, we announced the production of first ore at Gudai-Darri, our first greenfield mine in the Pilbara, Western Australia, in more than a decade. With an expected life of more than 40 years and an annual capacity of 43 million tonnes - due to incrementally increase to 50Mtpa, Gudai-Darri will underpin future production of our Pilbara Blend™ product.

Having reached full capacity in 2023, Gudai-Darri will increase our iron ore production volumes and improve our product mix from the Pilbara. We are also progressing a feasibility study to support an expansion of this new hub. The development of Gudai-Darri supported more than 3,000 jobs during the construction and design phase. The mine supports around 600 ongoing permanent roles.

Iron Ore Western Australia downloads

Pilbara plans
Pilbara Dampier Dredging Long-Term Management Plan
PDF
4.12 MB
Pilbara Port Dust Management Plan
PDF
4.05 MB
Pilbara Marine Turtle Management Plan
PDF
8.33 MB
Pilbara Threatened Species Offset Plan
PDF
2.81 MB
Pilbara contractors
Pilbara Contractor Engagement Solution Playbook
PDF
6.34 MB
Pilbara Contractor Engagement Solution Biometrics Fact Sheet
PDF
246 KB
Pilbara High Load Movement (HLM) Application
DOCX
125 KB
Pilbara Utilities ENSR Area Map
PDF
18.9 MB
PIlbara Port Handbook
PDF
3.8 MB
Pilbara Airconditioning Tips
PDF
755 KB
Pilbara Cyclone Information
PDF
889 KB
Pilbara Mining Process Diagram
PDF
278 KB

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