The rotainer system has made it easier for miners without rail access to export their ore, essentially opening up a whole new market for junior miners.
This is especially the case out of South Australian ports, for companies such as IMX and Iron Clad.
They are now able to transport the ore via shipping containers moved on the back of trucks. However, containers always had to be co-opted for the process, making transportation more difficult than it needed to be.
SCF Group, an Australian container manufacturer and supplier, has become the first company in the country to specifically design a container, with a removable lid, to work with the rotainer system. According to the company, it was able to manufacture and deliver a unit within only 90 days, as compared to the standard industry time of six months.
Richard Sykes, SCF Group chief, said the latest container had been tailor made for Hillgrove Resources to move copper concentrate from its Kanmantoo copper mine to an inner harbour facility at Port Adelaide.
"The container is fully loaded on the wharf with the lid firmly in position when the tippler system lifts the unit into the hull of the ship. The lid will then be removed and the container rotated 360 degrees, before the lid is placed back on the unit," Sykes said.
"The unit’s design also reduces the environmental impact of the copper concentrate as the lid is on the container at all times except when being unloaded inside the ship’s hull."
To date the SCF Group has created 450 of the specially designed environmentally friendly containers for Hillgrove Resources. The containers measure approximately 20 foot, and are half height open top units.
SCF Group 1300 637 789, www.scfgroup.com.au