Photo by: Bloomberg
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Iron-ore miner Arrium Mining and Materials, which owns mines in the Middleback Ranges of South Australia, on Monday reported record sales of 3.32-million tonnes for the quarter ended June 30, up 130 000 t on the previous quarter.
The quarter's shipments reached 3.16-million tonnes, also up 130 000 t on the previous quarter, bringing full-year shipments to a record 12.5-million tonnes, up 4.4-million tonnes on the previous financial year.
The increased shipments resulted from an upgraded tug fleet, which was commissioned in May, and which enabled transshipping to cope with a broader range of operational and weather conditions.
Arrium noted that the quarter ended June also included a number of port records, including a record Capesize loading rate and a record vessel lift.
Yearly shipment rates of around 13-million tonnes were expected in from the first quarter of 2015.
Meanwhile, Arrium was continuing with the re-development of its Iron Knob mining area as part of its focus on using the expanded port capability of 13-million tonnes a year. The project comprises three opencut operations in South Australia.