Rincon Mining, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto, has selected Worley as the lead integration delivery partner (LIDP) for the Rincon Full Potential Lithium Project in Salar Del Rincón, Salta Province, Argentina. The $2.5 billion project aims to develop a scalable lithium carbonate plant with a production capacity of 60,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of battery-grade material extracted from raw brine.
As LIDP, Worley will be responsible for overseeing the detailed design and execution of the project while coordinating efforts with subcontractors, technology providers, and construction contractors. The services will be delivered through Worley’s offices in Argentina, with additional support from its operations in Chile and Bogotá. Leveraging its extensive experience in Argentina’s lithium market, Worley has categorized the project as part of its sustainable work portfolio.
Worley CEO Chris Ashton highlighted the significance of this collaboration, stating, “This outcome builds on our global relationship with Rio Tinto and speaks to our contribution to the project in Argentina to date. This significant expansion in capacity at Rincon underscores our potential as an integral part of the energy transition and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to sustainability.”
In a separate development, Rio Tinto has successfully completed its first trial of renewable diesel at its Pilbara iron ore operations in Western Australia. The trial, conducted in partnership with Neste and Viva Energy, involved the use of ten million liters of renewable diesel produced from used cooking oil. Blended with fossil diesel, the fuel powered a range of operations, including rail, marine, and mining equipment.
The four-week trial, conducted in January and February 2025, provided key insights into the feasibility of integrating renewable diesel and its potential for large-scale implementation across Rio Tinto’s Australian operations. The initiative led to a reduction of approximately 27,000 tonnes of direct greenhouse gas emissions.
As part of its broader decarbonization strategy, Rio Tinto is actively exploring biofuels to help achieve its goal of reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050.