June 19 (Reuters) - Australian miner Fortescue Metals (FMG.AX) is expanding its battery and electric powertrain production operations in the UK with a new plant in Oxfordshire, its green power arm Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) said on Monday. The Banbury facility will open in 2024 and operate alongside Fortescue’s other Oxfordshire facilities including the Kidlington factory which will open later this year, FFI said in a press release. The new plant will focus primarily on manufacturing of heavy industry, electric and zero-emission powertrain systems and will offer automated assembly for battery modules and packs. The world's fourth largest iron ore maker, Fortescue is expanding into production of hydrogen from renewable resources, known as green hydrogen, under its Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) unit, and aims to become a global powerhouse in renewable energy. read moreReporting by Jaskiran Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Persons: Fortescue, FFI, Kemi Badenoch, Jaskiran Singh, Kim Coghill Organizations: Fortescue Future Industries, Trade, Thomson Locations: Oxfordshire, Banbury, Bengaluru