Kwinana plant

THE State Government has announced it is clearing the way for Rio Tinto’s $1.5 billion HI-Smelt expansion project, confirming speculation previously reported in Business News. The Government is in final negotiations with BHP Billiton over a 207ha parcel of land on the Kwinana industrial strip. The Rio Tinto HI-Smelt proposal, which is now with the EPA, involves construction of a commercial pig iron plant that will produce up to 800t/ year of iron ore.