Atlas to ship first ore from Utah Port

The first shipment of ore from Altas Iron's North Pilbara mines, Wodgina and Pardoo, is being loaded at the new Utah Port Facility.

Atlas had been stockpiling ore at the facility since early September for the first vessel, the "Bergen Max".

"This is a momentous day for Atlas, its shareholders, staff and the Pilbara community," Atlas managing director David Flanagan said.

"Utah Point is the first truly multi-user port in the Pilbara where miners other than majors can export their products.

Atlas said the Utah Port was an important part of its plans to increase its production to 6 million tonnes per annum by Christmas and then 12 million tonnes per annum by 2012.

See full company statement below:

Atlas Iron Limited (ASX Code: AGO) is pleased to report that the first ore from its two North Pilbara iron ore mines, Wodgina and Pardoo, is now being loaded on to the "Bergen Max" at the new Utah Port.
Atlas has been stockpiling ore at the Utah Point Port Facility for the first vessel, the "Bergen Max" since early September 2010. The loading of Atlas ore onto the "Bergen Max" is being completed as part of the Utah Point commissioning process.
The Utah port is at the heart of Atlas' scheduled increase in production to 6Mtpa by Christmas and then to 12Mtpa by 2012.
"This is a momentous day for Atlas, its shareholders, staff and the Pilbara community," Atlas Managing Director David Flanagan said. "Utah Point is the first truly multi-user port in the Pilbara where miners other than majors can export their products.
"On behalf of the Atlas team, I would like to thank Andre Bush and his Port Hedland Port Authority team, Pinc, Goodline/ECM joint venture, Ertech and Brierty for their tremendous work in bringing this project to fruition. Andre's vision for a multi-user port in Port Hedland over four years ago has, after a huge amount of work, been brought to life at Utah Point. It's a great achievement for the PHPA and Western Australia."

Background Atlas Iron Limited
Atlas Iron Limited is mining and exporting from its 100%-owned Pardoo and Wodgina Iron Ore projects, located 75 kilometres and 110km by road from Port Hedland in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. In the 2009/10 financial year Atlas shipped over 1.2 million tonnes of Pardoo Direct Shipping Ore (DSO). Atlas is expanding its production from its Wodgina and Pardoo DSO mines following the commissioning of the Utah Point port facility and is targeting exports at an annualised rate of 6 million tonnes by the end of 2010. When combined with additional export tonnages from its Abydos & Mt Webber DSO Projects, the Company is targeting exports at an annualised rate of 12 million tonnes during 2012.