Rio Tinto has announced it will reduce production at the Yarwun Alumina Refinery in Gladstone by 40 per cent from October 2026, a strategic decision aimed at extending the refinery’s operational life until 2035. The move will give the company more time to explore long-term life-extension and modernisation options for the site.
The decision comes as Yarwun’s tailings facility is projected to reach capacity by 2031 at current production rates. By curtailing output, the refinery will gain an additional four years to explore technical solutions that may allow the operation to continue beyond its newly projected lifespan.
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