Chatham Rock Phosphate Ltd. advised on June 18, 2025, that it had commenced a feasibility study to develop a railway to connect its 100-per-cent-owned Korella North mine and its planned phosphate export facility to the Port of Karumba.
The RailPhos project connecting the Korella North mine, northwestern Queensland to the Port of Karumba involves the construction of the long-mooted Cloncurry to Normanton rail line with a further extension to Karumba.
The feasibility study is led by Australia-based executive director Colin Randall and, as at Oct. 22, had further progressed as outlined below:
The company has made initial contact with all landholders along the route.Face-to-face meetings have been held with the three landholders that comprise about 120 kilometres of the route with support from all.
The company met with Queensland Rail and conducted an on-site inspection of the QR rail infrastructure east of Cloncurry and agreed on a starting point for the Cloncurry to the Port of Karumba railway.
The company is considering an alternative site west of Cloncurry as the starting point for this Cloncurry to Port of Karumba railway, which avoids a crossing of the Cloncurry River just north of Cloncurry township.
Mr. Randall was part of a panel discussing logistics and phosphate at the meeting of the Mines Conference in Cloncurry on Friday, Sept. 12.
He also made a presentation on the RailPhos project to the Townsville Summit Conference on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025.
Mr. Randall was also interviewed by ABC Northwest Radio with the interview subsequently aired on a number of occasions and with resultant positive feedback.
- The company has made initial contact with all landholders along the route.
- Face-to-face meetings have been held with the three landholders that comprise about 120 kilometres of the route with support from all.
- The company met with Queensland Rail and conducted an on-site inspection of the QR rail infrastructure east of Cloncurry and agreed on a starting point for the Cloncurry to the Port of Karumba railway.
- The company is considering an alternative site west of Cloncurry as the starting point for this Cloncurry to Port of Karumba railway, which avoids a crossing of the Cloncurry River just north of Cloncurry township.
- Mr. Randall was part of a panel discussing logistics and phosphate at the meeting of the Mines Conference in Cloncurry on Friday, Sept. 12.
- He also made a presentation on the RailPhos project to the Townsville Summit Conference on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025.
- Mr. Randall was also interviewed by ABC Northwest Radio with the interview subsequently aired on a number of occasions and with resultant positive feedback.
The feasibility study into the RailPhos project continues, and the company will be providing regular progress reports.
