MinRes confirms train derailment

Mineral Resources has confirmed that about 30 empty iron ore wagons were derailed on a return train trip to the company’s Koolyanobbing mine near Southern Cross on Sunday.

The train, made up of MinRes-owned locomotives and rolling stock, was south of Norseman, on the Norseman to Esperance line, when the derailment occurred early on Sunday morning.

No-one was injured in the incident.

The train, comprising 106 wagons, was returning from Esperance after delivering 7,488 tonnes of iron ore fines to the company’s Esperance port facility.

MinRes said it was working with rail operator and owner Arc Infrastructure to assess the track damage and to determine when the line could reopen.

The company believes heavy rainfall and flash flooding in the region on Saturday was the cause of the derailment.

“At this stage it appears that heavy rainfall and flash flooding in the region on Saturday washed out some ballast from under a small section of the track,” MinRes said in a statement to the ASX.

“Arc Infrastructure expects repairs to the track to be completed this week.

“MRL does not expect this derailment to have a material impact on its Koolyanobbing iron ore production and shipment schedule.

“There is damage to some of the derailed wagons but not to MRL’s locomotives.”

The news comes less than a week after a BHP iron ore train was derailed in the Pilbara, after travelling more than 90 kilometres with no-one on board.