Canadian metal miner Teck Resources reported a loading arm failure on one of its two shipping barges on June 7 at its Alaska port.
The second arm has been tested for integrity, and shipping from the corresponding barge will begin in a week. However, Teck said the event would lead to a month’s delay for shipping zinc and lead concentrates from the affected barge.
Teck owns the Red Dog mine in northern Alaska. It is the largest open-pit zinc mine in the world and comprises 4.2pc of global zinc output. In 2019, Red Dog produced 552,400mt of zinc and 102,800mt of lead.
Teck usually begins shipping its output in the summer. The company said that, barring unforeseen inclement weather, it plans to ship all of its production from Red Dog during the season, despite the mechanical accident.