Located within the Banjima People’s Native Title determination, the Rio Tinto Gudai-Darri mine is one of the world’s most advanced iron ore operations, purpose‑built in Western Australia’s Pilbara region to showcase next-generation mining technology. Officially opened in 2022, the $3.6 billion project is Rio Tinto’s first greenfield mine in more than a decade.
ACHM have undertaken all of ethnographic assessments and archaeological surveys, excavations and salvages for the Banjima people since 2006, recording over 1,000 archaeological and ethnographic sites within the project area, including regionally rare rock art, stone arragements, ancestral remains and wooden artefacts. Evidence of the human occupation of this part of the Hamersley Range extends well beyond 40,000 years.
Comprehensive archaeological and ethnographic assessments have been undertaken within the project area to facilitate the development of:
- Hundreds of kilometres of exploration drilling tracks, pads and sumps:
- A stockyard with associated stackers and reclaimer;
- A Train load-out facility;
- A 220kV transmission line connecting to the Yandicoogina transmission line;
- A 220/33kV switchyard;
- A 34mw solar energy farm;
- Site control systems and communications, fire detection and security;
- A bore field for water supply;
- Non-process infrastructure (administration buildings, workshops, warehouse, explosive storage facility, vehicle wash and fuelling facilities);
- A new airport;
- Bridges;
- Access roads;
- 1500 person accommodation village and temporary construction camps;
- 170km of new railway including rail sidings and junctions;
- Level crossings;
- Rail maintenance track; radio base stations and fibre optic cabling;
- Signalling, communications and asset protection system upgrades; and
- Construction facilities such as laydown areas, haul roads, borrow pits, site offices and construction and potable water sources.
