In another landmark achievement for IMX Resources (ASX: IXR), the first shipment of Cairn Hill iron copper ore has departed Port Adelaide, on-route to China.
At full production Cairn Hill will be shipping ore at the rate of two vessels per month, equating to around 1.7 million tonnes of ore annually.
The first shipment was increased to 68,053 tonnes.
Ore shipping from Cairn Hill will ramp-up quickly, with the last 750 of the custom built ore containers due to arrive in Port Adelaide today, and the delivery of the leased wagons from Gemco is due from the second half of January 2011.
The delivery of the first batch of these wagons will enable an additional 3 train services per week, which will lift the railed tonnage to 35,900 tonnes per week by the second half of February 2011, from the current 12,600 tonnes per week.
The second shipment is anticipated for late January 2011
The second of the rotary tipplers may now be available for the loading of the second vessel in late January 2011, which provides the potential for faster loading rates depending on container berth occupancy.