Are Midwest Corp (Sinosteel) ever going to use rail?
How many of their wagons are still stored at Narngulu?
Looked at their website today. Their "news" is that they'll be road hauling from Koolanooka to Geraldton; after having a nearby intersection rebuilt.
Quote from their website:
>>
Koolanooka / Blue Hills Hematite Project
Road Haulage
Sinosteel Midwest is planning to re-commence mining and road-haulage operations from our Koolanooka mine, near Morawa, within the next few months. To enable this, we have reached agreement with Main Roads WA and the Morawa Shire on a substantial modification and upgrade to the Wubin-Mullewa / Mingenew-Yalgoo intersection.
Sinosteel Midwest believes that the upgrade will be a significant improvement to the road amenity of the Morawa Shire. Importantly, the intersection has been designed with road safety as the uppermost priority. The intersection will also remain as another improvement after the Sinosteel Midwest projects that it services have been completed, as a legacy for the people of Morawa and the Mid West.
and from the attached info:
Sinosteel Midwest’s Koolanooka/Blue Hills Project is currently working through the environmental approvals process. Subject to obtaining all necessary Government approvals, the company is aiming to commence operations by late November 2009, and is planning to transport ore via road to Geraldton Port, through the Southern Transport Corridor (see Figure 1).
The decision to transport ore from this project via road haulage is the result of more than five years of consultation with various State Government departments, local shires and suppliers.
The company has thoroughly investigated the option of transporting ore from Koolanooka via rail, however after considerable investment in time and money, it has become evident that rail is not a viable solution. The current rail system does not have the capacity to transport the estimated output of ore, and is not cost competitive because of the double handling required.
Doesn't auger well for rail, so far.

David