Minemakers first phosphate samples leave Darwin

The initial shipment – from the company's Wonarah rock phosphate project east of Tennant Creek – is heading to India for testing, with a view to being turned into fertiliser.

If successful, the miner hopes to open up international trade, initially with India.

Forwarding and road transport for the shipment were jointly organised by Minemakers and Western Australian bulk road haulage concern Giachi Brothers, while Swire looked after shipping aboard the Pacific Voyager, which left on Wednesday.

Another shipment, aboard the Pacific Explorer and bound for New Zealand, should leave at the weekend.

Minemakers and Darwin Port Corporation signed a heads of agreement covering the shipment of Wonarah product through the port of Darwin’s East Arm facility after the Northern Territory Government said eight months ago that it would spend $100m on mineral export facility expansion while the Federal Government would spend $50m on a rail loop and dump.