Qube Bulk awarded logistics services agreement for Coburn WA project

STRANDLINE Resources has signed on Qube Bulk to a long-term haulage and logistics services agreement for its Coburn mineral sands project in Western Australia.

The agreement covers all of the mineral sands products to be produced at the site over an initial 10-year term. Strandline estimates volumes will be about 225,000 tonnes per year.

Under the contract, Qube’s scope covers the mineral sands products from mine to ship.

Qube is to load product at the Coburn mine site onto triple road trains on a continuous 24-hours, seven-days-a-week basis.

The company will transport ilmenite and zircon concentrate products to its existing Berth 4 storage facility at the Port of Geraldton. The port is located roughly 280 kilometres from the mine site.

The contract also covers the transportation of zircon and rutile products to a purpose-built storage facility at Narngulu, ready for campaign loading at Berth 4 at the Port of Geraldton.

Qube will also co-ordinate product deliveries for ship loading at the port.

Strandline managing director Luke Graham said the execution of this logistics contract marked a crucial step in the company’s strategy to become a high-margin producer of critical minerals.

“We are delighted to establish this long-term relationship with Qube, a leading logistics provider across Australia, and a well-established operator in the mid-west region of WA,” Mr Graham said.

“Securing the strategic storage at port berth-side for most of Coburn’s product volume is a significant advantage, resulting in extra flexibility and cost efficiencies.”

Qube Bulk director Todd Emmert said the Coburn project is an exciting prospect that will deliver long-term benefits to all stakeholders involved.

“We are delighted about our new partnership with Strandline and being able to release further value to customers and the Port of Geraldton through our ongoing investment in the region,” he said.

The Coburn mineral sands project is to produce zircon, a mineral used in many industrial applications; ilmenite, which is used to make titanium; and rutile, used in pigment and for the production of titanium.