Rio Tinto has announced a C$7.6m (£4.12m) investment in an industrial demonstration project to evaluate the integration of ore sorting technology at its Lac Tio mine in Havre-Saint-Pierre in Quebec, Canada.
The project is supported by the Government of Quebec with a contribution of C$2.5m and aims to test a method for sorting ore based on titanium and scandium content.
The technology could enhance the efficiency of separating commercially viable rock from waste, potentially reducing the volume of material transported for processing and lowering associated greenhouse gas emissions and costs.
Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium and Diamonds’ managing director Sophie Bergeron said: “The use of ore sorting technology represents a tangible opportunity to optimise our processes right from the extraction stage, allowing us to maximise value from our resources, while reducing the emissions associated with transporting and processing ore.
“The support from the Government of Quebec highlights the key role that Rio Tinto plays in the critical and strategic minerals production essential to the energy transition. It is also a unifying project for our employees, the community of Havre-Saint-Pierre and the community of Ekuanitshit, with whom we share a desire to evolve our practices in a responsible manner.”
The initiative is expected to optimise the ore pre-treatment process at the Sorel-Tracy plant, improve resource management and explore previously unprofitable parts of the deposit.
The project will unfold in two phases, with 2025 focusing on engineering and technological validation, and 2026 seeing the integration of automation equipment to produce enriched ore batches.
Minister of Natural Resources and Forests and Minister Responsible for the Bas-Saint-Laurent Region and the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine Region Maïté Blanchette Vézina said: “Our government is proud to support Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium in its ore valorisation project.
“In addition to encouraging innovation through the creation of new processes or the improvement of existing ones, this type of initiative helps accelerate the transformation of critical and strategic minerals in Quebec, reinforcing the province’s position as a global leader. In a complex geopolitical context and growing global demand for minerals, we must seize these opportunities to advance Quebec’s mining projects.”
Recently, Rio Tinto inaugurated the Western Range iron ore mine in Australia, in partnership with China Baowu Group.
The $2bn (14.36bn yuan) venture is set to sustain the Paraburdoo mining hub for around 20 years.
