Iron ore sent to Darwin Port for first time in five years in ‘momentous occasion’ for the NT’s Frances Creek Mine

IN a major development at the Frances Creek mine, operator NT Bullion has started moving iron ore to the Darwin Port in preparation for export for the first time in five years.

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• High demand for Territory iron ore buoys Frances Creek project

IN a major development at the Frances Creek mine, operator NT Bullion has started moving iron ore to the Darwin Port in preparation for export for the first time in five years.

The iron ore lump, which has been produced from waste stockpiles, was trucked the 15km from the mine to the rail siding and loaded on to a kilometre-long train operated by One Rail.

The trial loading process took more than 5½ hours in order to get the correct procedure for the three-hour trip to the Darwin Port.

Once at the port, the ore was moved via a conveyor belt system to be stockpiled for the first shipment later this month.

The previous owners of the mine, near Pine Creek, closed operations in 2014.

Frances Creek iron ore arriving at Darwin Harbour on Tuesday. Pictures: Supplied

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“This is a momentous ­occasion for the whole of the NT and for our hardworking local team at Frances Creek with strong support from One Rail and the Darwin Port,” NT Bullion managing director, Rod Illingworth said at the port on Tuesday.

“We now have two Steinert ore sorters from Germany working to produce high-quality lump ore from the waste stock at the Frances Creek mine.

“NT Bullion has pushed hard these last eight months to solve the challenges this new technology has offered us, and we have been determined to use local employees whose know-how and hard work have significantly contributed to this NT business.

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“Our production from the mine via the rail and port will be full time and constant throughout the Wet to supply our partner Anglo America to market our ore worldwide.

“The core of our business is to ensure we add value to the NT and work with our Indigenous partners, the community and the local industry to keep the economic and social benefits within the NT.”