Global resources company MMG has shipped the last cargo of zinc concentrates from its Century mine in Australia after announcing it would stop mining earlier this year.
The final parcel of zinc concentrate was loaded onto Century’s transfer vessel the MV Wunma and departed the Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland.
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The shipment will be sent to Asian customers.
MMG’s latest development comes soon after completion of mining from the open-pit mine in August 2015 and after processing around 700,000t of ore stockpiled during the final months of mining.
MMG COO Marcelo Bastos said that there had been over 600 shipments of Century concentrates since production began in 1999.
Bastos said: "More than 13 million tonnes of zinc concentrate has been transported through the port, which averages about one full export ship per week departing Gulf waters for smelters in Australia, Asia and Europe.
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By GlobalData"Century zinc concentrates have been highly valued by smelters due to their low iron content, which minimised costs associated with re-treatment and disposal of iron-containing by-products."
Zinc concentrate stockpiles from the mine had depleted, while shipments from MMG’s Karumba Port in north-west Queensland were continuing.
MMG said it will continue with shipments of Century lead concentrates.
The company plans to undertake rehabilitation and closure activities on site and will keep Century’s infrastructure on care and maintenance.
MMG concluded extraction at the Century mine in October 2015.
Image: Century base metal mine, SHMS deposit in Queensland, Australia. Photo: courtesy of Geomartin.
