Rio Tinto and Western Australia Government Joint Venture for Desalination Plant
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
0mins
Should l Buy RIO?
Source: Businesswire
- Joint Venture Launch: Rio Tinto and the Western Australian Government have formed a 50:50 joint venture to construct the Dampier Seawater Desalination Plant, which is expected to deliver 8GL of desalinated water annually, significantly alleviating pressure on regional aquifers.
- Construction Progress: Stage 1 of the desalination plant is currently under construction and is expected to achieve 4GL of annual desalination capacity later this year, while Stage 2 has commenced, with an additional 4GL expected by 2027.
- Environmental Protection Commitment: The project will substantially reduce abstraction from the Bungaroo and Millstream aquifers, safeguarding sites of environmental and cultural significance, addressing concerns from Traditional Owner groups.
- Economic and Infrastructure Investment: The Western Australian Premier stated that the project will provide billions of liters of water to local households and businesses, highlighting the importance of the government’s Made in WA plan for economic development.
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Analyst Views on RIO
Wall Street analysts forecast RIO stock price to fall
6 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 99.610
Low
68.00
Averages
83.70
High
129.50
Current: 99.610
Low
68.00
Averages
83.70
High
129.50
About RIO
Rio Tinto plc is a United Kingdom-based mining and materials company. It operates in over 35 countries, and its portfolio includes iron ore, copper, aluminum and a range of other minerals and materials. Its segments include Iron Ore, Aluminum, Copper, and Minerals. The Iron Ore segment includes iron ore mining and salt and gypsum production in Western Australia. Its iron ore operations in Pilbara comprise an integrated network of over 18 iron ore mines and four independent port terminals. The Aluminum segment includes bauxite mining, alumina refining, and aluminum smelting and recycling. The Copper segment includes mining and refining of copper, gold, silver, molybdenum, other by-products and licensing of extraction technologies. The Minerals segment includes mining and processing of borates, diamonds, iron concentrate and pellets from the Iron Ore Company of Canada, lithium and titanium dioxide feedstock.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Pilot Plant Construction: Rio Tinto plans to construct a pilot plant at its Jonquière complex in Saguenay to validate the technology in an industrial setting, with operations expected to commence in 2027, thereby providing empirical support for gallium extraction.
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- Joint Venture Launch: Rio Tinto and the Western Australian Government have formed a 50:50 joint venture to construct the Dampier Seawater Desalination Plant, which is expected to deliver 8GL of desalinated water annually, significantly alleviating pressure on regional aquifers.
- Construction Progress: Stage 1 of the desalination plant is currently under construction and is expected to achieve 4GL of annual desalination capacity later this year, while Stage 2 has commenced, with an additional 4GL expected by 2027.
- Environmental Protection Commitment: The project will substantially reduce abstraction from the Bungaroo and Millstream aquifers, safeguarding sites of environmental and cultural significance, addressing concerns from Traditional Owner groups.
- Economic and Infrastructure Investment: The Western Australian Premier stated that the project will provide billions of liters of water to local households and businesses, highlighting the importance of the government’s Made in WA plan for economic development.
See More

- Joint Venture Launch: Rio Tinto and the Western Australian Government have entered into a 50:50 joint venture to construct the Dampier Seawater Desalination Plant, which is expected to produce 8GL of desalinated water annually, significantly alleviating pressure on regional aquifers and enhancing water security.
- Construction Progress: The first stage of the Dampier desalination plant is currently under construction and is expected to deliver 4GL of annual capacity later this year, while construction of the second stage has commenced, aiming to add another 4GL by 2027.
- Environmental Protection Commitment: This project will substantially reduce abstraction from the Bungaroo and Millstream aquifers, protecting sites of environmental and cultural significance, addressing concerns from Traditional Owner groups, and ensuring sustainable water resources.
- Economic and Infrastructure Investment: The Premier of Western Australia stated that this project will provide billions of liters of water to local households and businesses, highlighting the importance of the government’s Made in WA plan in driving economic development in the state.
See More
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