New deal will see iron ore transported by rail from Kalgoorlie-Boulder to Port of Esperance

Rail operator Arc Infrastructure has signed a new agreement with iron ore miner Gold Valley for about 1.2 million tonnes a year of iron ore to be transported from West Kalgoorlie to the Port of Esperance. The deal is linked to Gold Valley’s Wiluna West iron ore project. The service will start on September 30 and involve three return train paths a week. Arc Infrastructure general manager commercial Nathan Speed said the agreement reflected Arc’s ongoing commitment to increasing freight on rail and was a great boost for the region. “The deal with Gold Valley is a significant vote of confidence in the Yilgarn iron ore region and we are thrilled to secure a new customer who has both an existing operation and significant growth aspirations,” Mr Speed said. “We’re also pleased from a community perspective, as we know that more freight moved on rail translates to safer and less congested roads and lower emissions. “We’re looking forward to the commencement of Gold Valley’s rail task later this month, and to supporting them as they look to grow their operation moving forward.” Gold Valley chief executive Scott Meacock said the agreement was a significant milestone. “The move on to rail represents a significant step in the growth of the Gold Valley Group and toward securing the long-term resilience of the Wiluna West iron ore project operations. “We are excited by this first step and the opportunity to expand our presence in the Wiluna to Esperance corridor by working closely with all stakeholders, including Arc Infrastructure,” he said. “We are grateful to all involved in supporting this new stage of our operations.”