(News Bulletin 247) – Rio Tinto announces that it is investing more in its operation in Kennecott (Utah) in order to strengthen its copper supply in the United States by increasing production from underground mining and improving the health of key assets.
The mining group says funding of $498 million has been approved for underground development and infrastructure in an area known as ‘North Rim Skarn2’ (NRS).
Production from the NRS will begin in 2024 and is expected to ramp up over two years with the aim of delivering approximately 250,000 additional tonnes of copper over the next 10 years, alongside open pit operations.
In September 2022, Rio Tinto had approved development capital totaling $55 million to start underground mining in an area known as Lower Commercial Skarn (LCS). Underground production within LCS began in February 2023 and is expected to provide a total of approximately 30,000 tonnes of additional mined copper through 2027.
These two recent investments will help Kennecott build a world-class underground mine that will leverage battery electric vehicle (BEV) technology, following a successful trial in 2022. BEVs create a safer and healthier workplace for workers. underground employees, increasing mine productivity while reducing emissions from operations.
Copyright (c) 2023 News Bulletin 247. All rights reserved.
I have over 8 years of experience working in the news industry. I have worked as a reporter, editor, and now managing editor at 247 News Agency. I am responsible for the day-to-day operations of the news website and overseeing all of the content that is published. I also write a column for the website, covering mostly market news.
