Rio Tinto Coal Australia Pty : Western Australian firm secures contracts valued at $90 million for key Rio Tinto projects in Western Australia and Queensland

Western Australian-based construction and engineering firm Decmil has been awarded contracts valued at $90 million for mine infrastructure at Rio Tinto's world-class Nammuldi and Silvergrass iron ore mines in the Pilbara and Amrun bauxite project in far north Queensland.

In Western Australia, the company has been awarded a $40 million contract for the design, construction and commissioning of new facilities at the existing Nammuldi central mine services and at the Silvergrass mine services area.

The contract for the Amrun bauxite project is for the construction of heavy mining equipment workshops, refuelling and wash stations, workshops and welding bays, waste transfer stations and administration buildings at Amrun. Up to 105 workers will be employed to construct this mine-site infrastructure.

Rio Tinto Growth & Innovation group executive Stephen McIntosh said 'The Decmil contracts are yet another example of how Rio Tinto partners with local suppliers to deliver economic benefits for Australia above and beyond taxes, royalties and direct employment.'

'Construction of the Silvergrass iron ore mine will ramp up in the first quarter of next year which will support about 500 jobs during construction.

'The Amrun project has already awarded contracts valued at more than $850 million to Australian-based suppliers.'

'Our world-class bauxite project in far north Queensland is one of Rio Tinto's most important growth projects and we are very pleased that Australian suppliers are securing contracts at Amrun.

'More than 550 Australian businesses have been engaged to date on Amrun and more than 50 Indigenous men and women are employed to work on the project.'

'With a range of other major contracts still to be awarded at Amrun, we look forward to further highly-competitive bids from Australian suppliers.'

About Amrun

Rio Tinto will expand output from one of the world's premier bauxite deposits at the $2.6 billion Amrun project.

Amrun involves the construction of a bauxite mine and associated processing and port facilities on the Cape York Peninsula in North Queensland.

Production and shipping are expected to commence in the first half of 2019, ramping up to full production by the end of the year. The project's design provides options for future expansion to 50 million tonnes a year. The majority of capital expenditure for the Amrun project is scheduled for 2017 and 2018.

For more on the Amrun project visit www.riotinto.com/Amrun