Miner expresses concern over South Australian ports

<p>A Perth mining company has hit out at the "poor standard" of bulk ports in South Australia, claiming that their condition has a negative impact on their ability to be used as export outlets for a proposed major iron&#47copper&#47gold mining operation near Coober Pedy.</p> <p>Goldstream’s Cairn Hill site is about 50 km south of Coober Pedy, adjacent to the Stuart Highway and about 50 km east of the Adelaide-Darwin railway line.</p> <p>Goldstream Mining said it would undertake a feasibility study into the mining project, in particular examining whether a 10-year iron-ore operation with an annual production of 1m tonnes of magnetite concentrate would be viable. </p> <p>Mining could also produce about 4,500 tonnes of copper and 5,000 ounces of gold a year.</p> <p>However, a key factor in the viability would be logistics, with the condition of South Australia’s port facilities an issue. </p> <p>Managing director Duncan McBain said it was a remote location, which made logistics important, as it was the major cost. </p> <p>"The biggest problem we have is SA ports are not very good," he told the <em>Adelaide Advertiser</em> . "They’re all very shallow. If you take out Port Bonython, there’s not a single port in SA that can take a full capesize ship." </p> <p>The comments follow a call from the SA Chamber of Mines and Energy last week to link state government-owned Port Bonython to the rail network and upgrade storage facilities to enable its use by mining companies. </p> <p>Goldstream said it was considering options such as using barges to ship ore further down Spencer Gulf to large Panamax-sized ships. </p> <p>However, Mr McBain said the viability of that was dependent on high metals prices. </p> <br />