PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Iron-ore miner Atlas has restarted mining operations at its Wodgina mine, in the Pilbara, with the company expecting to restart crushing operations later this week.
Atlas in March suspended mining operations at Wodgina as the miner conducted a detailed review of its operating activities in light of the declining iron-ore price, and restructured its operating costs structure.
Atlas subsequently entered into contractor collaboration agreements that were expected to deliver significant savings to the company’s operating costs, while allowing the Pilbara operations to remain active.
“With Abydos and Wodgina mines both now up and running, we are on track to achieve the full benefit of the contractor collaboration agreements, for the benefit of our shareholders, collaborating contractors and all employees,” said Atlas MD Ken Brinsden.
“We expect to achieve a production rate of nine-million tonnes a year from Abydos and Wodgina by the end of June, with shipping at Mount Webber expected to restart in the September quarter, as we build towards our year-end production rate of 14-million to 15-million tonnes a year.”