THE RE-ACTIVATION of the Ardmore Phosphate Mine in northwest Queensland has led to the shipment of more than 25,000 tonnes of phosphate rock from the port of Townsville to New Zealand.
The rapid return to exports, just 72 days after the PRL Group took over the Ardmore mine, has drawn praise from the company’s CEO Nick Gan, who described it as “an incredible achievement”.
The phosphate rock was transported in containers from the mine to Mount Isa by road, then onto rail to the port for storage, before being moved via conveyor belt and shiploader into the vessel Lignum Mesh, leaving Townsville on Wednesday [26 November].
Port of Townsville GM business development Drew Penny said the recommencement of export operations would have many positive impacts for the region and again demonstrated the importance of the Mt Isa to Townsville supply has in supporting the economy.
“Whilst there was a temporary pause to phosphate rock exports from Townsville earlier this year, I must commend PRL Group for their hard work since taking over the Ardmore Mine to be able to begin exporting again so soon,” Mr Penny said.
Mr Penny thanked PRL Group and Glencore for working with the port to ensure a smooth process to begin the export operations again over Berth 8.
Mr Gan said he wanted to recognise the efforts of the Ardmore team “and all of our partners who have been working with us to achieve this result, including the Port of Townsville, Aurizon, Northern Stevedoring Services, Glencore, Qube and the state government.
Mount Isa to Townsville Economic Development Zone (MITEZ) CEO Maria James said much work had been done since mine remobilisation and the necessary approvals to restart operations: “What a brilliant outcome that PRL have developed pit to port operations in such a short time frame. Cost effective and efficient freight solutions are required for the export of phosphate and PRL's considered and measured approach is commendable.
“MITEZ is proud to have PRL as a member, their innovative and tenacious approach to getting the mine up and running together with their commitment to the local community of Dajarra and the North West, and the flow on effects for the entire logistic MITEZ corridor supply chain is welcome and timely.”
Glencore’s Townsville manager for refinery and port operations, Paul Taylor, said this was another example of the integrated Mount Isa to Townsville industrial supply chain at work.
“Glencore’s Berth 8 shiploader already handles our own and third-party products, including metal concentrates and fertiliser, bound for international markets. Working with PRL Group is a natural extension of our operations that connect the mineral wealth of the north-west region to global customers,” he said.