Magellan Metals Pty Ltd said that it would resume regular lead transport operations from its mine in Western Australia in the next few days. It said that after resumption of mining operations at the Magellan Mine in February 2011 there was a stockpile of lead concentrate waiting at its Wiluna mine site.
Magellan Metals is owned by Ivernia Inc which is an international base metals mining, exploration and development company that is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The subsidiary of Ivernia Inc was in the middle of a controversy this month when it was found that trains carrying lead concentrate from its mines were following a diverted route to Fremantle Port.
It is believed that the rail transport contractors took the ten training with 159 containers of lead concentrate on a 12 km rail line which was not part of the approved route to the port. The company has said that the decision was made by the contractor independently and without their knowledge.
Premier Colin Barnet said in response to the incident that he did not usually get angry but that he was furious with Magellan. He said that they had strict conditions and they breached them and they were accountable.
Magellan Metals has completed and received the results of a voluntary program of soil sampling for lead analysis and isotopic testing along the deviated 12 kilometer route. The soil samples were submitted to an independent, National Association of Testing Authorities accredited laboratory and the results show no evidence of Magellan lead in the environment.