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Shipments will be moved along the 600km Sena Railway to the Port of Beira.
The port itself is being refurbished and a coal terminal constructed that will have a capacity of up to 20 million tonnes a year.
“The asset requires development and considerable investment in infrastructure that is already bringing benefits to the country,” the company said.
“We are also is investigating the potential of using the Zambeze River for barging the coal to the coast.”
More than 28,300 people registered for employment with Rio Tinto Coal Mozambique, of which 1172 candidates have been trained and assessed in various building and civil trades.
More than 700 trained candidates were placed with contractors to complete the construction of the training centre, and carried out work including bricklaying, plumbing, plastering, and concreting, as well as general labour.
“It is important to Rio Tinto to be able to provide opportunities for employment, economic benefit, education and improved standards of living in the communities in which the company operates,” the company said.
Rio Tinto's 2011 acquisition of Riversdale included a portfolio of coal assets in the Moatize basin, which lies in the Tete province of Mozambique in South-Eastern Africa.
Mozambique is one of the largest undeveloped coal nations in the world. The Benga and Zambeze mines fit with Rio Tinto's strategy of operating large, competitive, long-life mines.
