Rio Tinto blames ghost bats in decision to pull Giles mini deposit from Pilbara expansion

Rio Tinto will can plans for a new iron ore deposit in the Pilbara as part of its Rhodes Ridge expansion in a move it says will help save a habitat of ghost bats and reduce demand on Traditional Owners.

The Rhodes Ridge joint venture lodged an amendment to the proposal with the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water in August to remove the proposed Giles mining deposit from its plans.

The proposed open pit deposit sits within the boundaries of Rio’s Rhodes Ridge expansion, which it says is one of the world’s best-undeveloped iron ore discoveries, about 40km north-west of Newman.

“The area of the Giles mini deposit contains one of two ghost bat sub-populations, referred to as the ‘southern sub-population’, with the ‘northern sub-population’ located at Rhodes Ridge main,” the joint venture said in its amendment.

“In the first instance, removal of Giles mini from the proposed action avoids all direct impacts to the southern sub-population through retaining two adits and ten caves, which provide roosting habitat, and retains surrounding foraging habitat.”

Rio had been planning to spend more than $400 million on exploration over five years from 2024 to 2028 as part of studies for Rhodes Ridge.

The call to reduce the size of its expansion also comes as iron ore prices hover around $US100, with demand for the steelmaking ingredient suffering amid a years-long property crisis in China.

More to come.