South32's manganese mine resumes exports from Groote Eylandt, year after cyclone
The Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) mine was badly damaged when Tropical Cyclone Megan hit the Northern Territory island in March 2024.
Its wharf was destroyed by a loaded bulk carrier that smashed into the structure during cyclonic winds and high tides.
Heavy rainfall also flooded the mine's pits and damaged a critical bridge and several roads.
The damage led to GEMCO — a subsidiary of South32 — suspending mining and manganese exports, with the expectation shipments would resume between January and March 2025.
In a statement this week, South32 announced export sales had resumed after a "recovery effort of immense scale and complexity".
South32 chief operating officer Vanessa Torres told the NT Country Hour the first ship docked at the new wharf on Monday.
"That will be the first export of ore from GEMCO over the last year since Cyclone Megan hit," she said.
Ms Torres said rebuilding the wharf had been a huge effort, with about 317,000 hours of work involved and the removal of some 970 tonnes of steel and 740 tonnes of concrete.
She said the mine's old wharf — constructed 60 years ago — had been completely rebuilt with new technology, making for "a significantly upgraded facility" that could withstand another cyclone event.
Ms Torres said GEMCO had been able to retain its workforce of about 1,000 workers throughout the exports suspension period.
Local member for Arnhem Selena Uibo said it was "great news" exports were resuming.
"The export of manganese off Groote Eylandt will make a huge impact in terms of the territory's economy, but particularly for Groote Eylandt and the income that provides," she said.
Ms Torres said the cost of the clean-up and rebuild at the GEMCO mine had not been finalised, but would be revealed when the company provided its annual results to the market.
In its 2024 annual report, South32 said the mining halt had cost the company $US93 million ($137 million at the then exchange rate), while repairs to the wharf, a bridge and other infrastructure were expected to cost $US125 million ($184 million).
South32 received $555 million in insurance payments for the cyclone damage.
In its statement this week, South32 said it expected export sales from the GEMCO mine to increase over the June 2025 quarter and return to "normalised rates" over the 2025-26 financial year.
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