Tropical Cyclone Penny is expected to make landfall on Jan. 1 and hit the northern Australian port of Weipa, which is expected to disrupt shipping operations, Reuters reported the same day, citing the weather bureau.

Rio Tinto ships bauxite from its Weipa mine in Queensland through the Port of Weipa, which remained shut for a third day due to the cyclone.

The port is expected to reopen on Jan. 3, according to the harbormaster for the Cairns region, Michael Barnett.

A spokesman for Rio Tinto, which ships 30 million tonnes of bauxite per year from Weipa, said the company is observing the cyclone and "making preparations appropriate for the situation."