Mining giant Rio Tinto has resumed operations at three of its four iron ore port terminals in Western Australia’s Pilbara region after disruptions caused by Tropical Cyclone Narelle.
Ship loading at key terminals restarted on March 28 following temporary closures on March 24 due to severe weather conditions, including heavy rainfall and power outages. The fourth terminal, Cape Lambert A, remains under repair and is expected to resume operations in the coming days.
The cyclone disrupted shipments and impacted production across the region, with an estimated loss of around 8 million metric tonnes of iron ore. However, Rio Tinto has indicated that it expects to recover nearly half of the lost volumes through operational adjustments.
Despite the setbacks, the company has maintained its 2026 shipment guidance for Pilbara iron ore between 323 million and 338 million tonnes, signaling confidence in its recovery strategy.
Cyclone Narelle also affected other mining operations in the region, highlighting the vulnerability of Australia’s key resource hubs to extreme weather events.