0 5 , ▁who ▁was ▁then ▁developing ▁its ▁Cloud ▁Break ▁mine ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁The ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁project ▁suffered ▁further ▁del ays ▁when ▁attempts ▁to ▁gain ▁access ▁to ▁B HP ▁Bill it on ' s ▁rail ▁network ▁failed , ▁bur den ing ▁the ▁project ▁with ▁a ▁further ▁A $ 1 ▁billion ▁in ▁cost ▁to ▁construct ▁rail ▁and ▁port ▁infrastr ucture . ▁Event ually , ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Rio ▁T into ▁became ▁a ▁partner ▁in ▁the ▁project ▁instead , ▁making ▁thereby ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁major ▁infrastr ucture ▁unnecessary , ▁and , ▁after ▁sp ending ▁A $ 1 . 3 ▁billion , ▁the ▁mine ▁moved ▁into ▁production ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁The ▁mine ▁has ▁an ▁annual ▁production ▁capacity ▁of ▁ 3 0 ▁million ▁t onnes ▁of ▁iron ▁ore , ▁s our ced ▁from ▁open - pit ▁operations . ▁The ▁ore ▁is ▁processed ▁on ▁site ▁before ▁being ▁loaded ▁onto ▁rail . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁Rio ▁T into ▁upgrad ed ▁the ▁mine ▁from ▁an ▁annual ▁production ▁of ▁ 2 2 ▁million ▁t onnes ▁to ▁ 3 0 ▁million ▁t onnes . ▁ ▁O re ▁from ▁the ▁mine ▁is ▁then ▁transport ed ▁to ▁the ▁coast ▁through ▁the ▁Ham ers ley ▁& ▁Rob e ▁River ▁railway , ▁where ▁it ▁is ▁loaded ▁onto ▁ships . ▁The ▁ 3 0 ▁kilomet re ▁sp ur ▁line ▁connecting ▁the ▁mine ▁with ▁Rio ▁T into ' s ▁existing ▁railway ▁system ▁was ▁named ▁" L