Australian iron ore company BC Iron Limited (BC Iron) has announced that its 50 percent-owned Nullagine iron ore joint venture with Australian miner Fortescue Metals Group (Fortescue), located in Pilbara, Western Australia, expects to export about 2.5 million mt of iron ore by the end of 2011, with about 800,000 mt to be shipped by June 30.
Accordingly, the Nullagine iron ore JV's second shipment of about 20,000 mt of ore departed from Port Hedland on March 29, 2011. Increased tonnages are scheduled for shipment during April and May approaching full capesize vessel shipments of about 180,000 mt per shipment from June onwards.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, the first iron ore shipment from the Nullagine iron ore JV left for China from Port Hedland in late February.
"Despite several disruptions to ore haulage by truck to the railhead at Fortescue's Christmas Creek operation due to heavy rains throughout January to March, haulage via the public Marble Bar-Newman road recommenced in March and is progressing well," reads BC Iron's statement.
In addition, BC Iron and Fortescue have announced that on April 18 they are hosting an official mine opening ceremony at the Nullagine iron ore project.