Diversified miner Rio Tinto on Tuesday announced the sale of Dampier Salt’s MacLeod salt and gypsum operation in Carnarvon, Western Australia, to privately owned Leichhardt Industrials for A$375-million.
Dampier Salt, which is majority owned by Rio Tinto, expects the sale to be concluded by the end of the year.
“The sale of Lake MacLeod will enable Dampier Salt to focus on enhancing operational efficiencies at its remaining two Pilbara operations, while allowing the new owner of Lake MacLeod to maximise its potential.
“Until the completion of the sale, the Dampier Salt leadership team’s focus will be on safety, delivering on plan, and maintaining respect for all people at Lake MacLeod and in the Carnarvon community,” said Rio Tinto MD for port, rail and core services Richard Cohen.
Leichhardt has committed to retaining all Lake MacLeod’s employees, ensuring continuity of operation and providing job stability to the 130-strong workforce.
Lake MacLeod is one of three solar salt sites owned by Dampier Salt, which also includes operations in Dampier and Port Hedland. It is located within Baiyungu country in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia, 70 km north of the town of Carnarvon, and consists of a 1.5-million-tonne-a-year salt operation, a one-million-tonne-a-year gypsum operation as well as a deepwater port at Cape Cuvier.
Dampier Salt has no plans to sell any other assets within its business.