West Perth-based base metals producer Kagara Zinc Ltd has shut down its Mt Garnet processing plant in north Queensland after heavy rains made roads unsafe for the company's trucks.
West Perth-based base metals producer Kagara Zinc Ltd has shut down its Mt Garnet processing plant in north Queensland after heavy rains made roads unsafe for the company's trucks.
West Perth-based base metals producer Kagara Zinc Ltd has shut down its Mt Garnet processing plant in north Queensland after heavy rains made roads unsafe for the company's trucks.
Kagara informed the market it would reschedule trucking from the site until sufficient stockpiles had been re-established.
Zinc and lead production will not be materially affected but about two weeks of copper concentrate production will be deferred.
The full text of a company announcement is pasted below
Kagara wishes to inform the market that due to safety concerns over the condition of the Kennedy Highway as a result of heavy rains associated with tropical lows in far north Queensland, trucking of ore from the Balcooma mining operations was suspended on Wednesday 31 January. Processing of ore stockpiles continued until Sunday 4 February and Kagara has subsequently brought forward a planned seven day shutdown for the polymetallic treatment plant at Mt Garnet by one week.
It is expected that during this time the Main Roads Department will effect repairs to the highway to allow the resumption of heavy haulage. Trucking of concentrates from both Mt Garnet and Thalanga has recommenced and processing of ore is scheduled to restart on 14 February once sufficient ore stockpiles have been re-established.
At Balcooma flooding of the open pits has occurred and a small slip has occurred on the western wall of the Balcooma north pit. This has restricted access to the pit and a cutback to restore this access will take approximately four weeks, in the meantime the Thalanga and Mt Garnet copper circuits will operate from copper ore stockpiles at Balcooma. It is estimated that as a result of the trucking and Balcooma pit issues, approximately two weeks of copper concentrate production will be deferred. Zinc and lead production is not expected to be materially affected.
Mining continued as normal from the Dry River South underground mine.