Rio Tinto: Cyclone Halts Pilbara Ship Loadings

Rio Tinto PLC has suspended loading of iron ore at its Pilbara ports in Western Australia State due to the impact of Tropical Cyclone Narelle, the global miner said in a statement Thursday.

Due to rough sea conditions caused by Narelle, currently travelling south-southwest off the Western Australian coast and intensifying, port authorities have closed the Dampier and Cape Lambert ports, a Rio spokesman said in an emailed statement.

"As a result Rio Tinto ship loading operations have been suspended," the spokesman said.

"All other operations, including mining, rail movements, car-dumping and other port operations, are continuing as before," he added.

Rio Tinto, Australia's biggest iron ore exporter, is working to increase the annual production capacity of its mines in the Pilbara to 283 million metric tons this year and to 353 million tons by 2015.

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Source: http://www.marketwatch.com