Completion of second phase of expansion of iron ore export capacity and West Angelas mine expansion in Robe River Joint Venture in Western Australia

Sep. 03, 2015

Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation

Completion of second phase of expansion of iron ore export capacity and West Angelas mine expansion in Robe River Joint Venture in Western Australia


The second phase of expansion of the iron ore export capacity and West Angelas mine expansion in the Robe River joint venture (hereinafter, “Robe J/V”) in Western Australia, an iron ore project jointly operated by Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation (Representative Director and President: Kosei Shindo; hereinafter, “NSSMC”) and Rio Tinto (Australia & UK), one of the world’s leading mineral resource companies, has been completed. As a result, the annual export capacity of Cape Lambert Port will increase to more than 200 million tons and the annual production capacity of West Angelas mine will increase to 35 million tons.
Through the Robe J/V, NSSMC will continue its efforts to enable a stable supply and procurement of iron ore in the future.    

Robe J/V Outline

1. History:
 1972   
 Robe River iron ore shipments commence
 1977  Equity participation by former Nippon Steel and former Sumitomo Metal
 2000  Rio Tinto acquires North Ltd., conducts equity participation
 2002  West Angelas iron ore shipments commence
 2009  Cape Lambert Port expansion (+23 million tons)
 2010  Robe River mine Mesa A deposit iron ore shipments commence
 Cumulative total of Robe J/V iron ore shipments reaches 1 billion tons
 2013  Completion of Cape Lambert Port expansion Phase 1 (+53 million tons)
 2015  Completion of Cape Lambert Port expansion Phase 2 (+70 million tons)
 Completion of West Angelas mine expansion (+6 million tons)

2. Shares in the Robe JV:
     NSSMC: 14%, Rio Tinto: 53%, Mitsui & Co., Ltd.: 33%


Cape Lambert Port




West Angelas mine






Inquiries:
Public Relations Center, General Administration Division
Tel: +81-3-6867-2135




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