Australian iron ore company BC Iron Limited (BC Iron) announced on January 31, 2011 that it has transported the first iron ore from its 50 percent-owned Nullagine iron ore joint venture with Australian miner Fortescue Metals Group (Fortescue) located in Pilbara, Western Australia, via rail to port.
During January, Fortescue commenced wet commissioning of the train load-out and interim reclaim systems at Christmas Creek operation, using iron ore from the Nullagine JV. This ore was then transported via Fortescue's rail infrastructure to Herb Elliott Port. Once adequate stockpiles are created at Herb Elliott Port, the first shipments of ore will be loaded and exported.
"This marks a significant event for the Pilbara iron ore industry as this is the first time a junior iron ore miner has been able to transport iron ore on a third party's rail infrastructure in the Pilbara," reads BC Iron's statement.
The project remains on track to ship one million mt of iron ore by the end of June 2011.