Tara Mines near Navan, Co Meath, has had to switch to trucks to transport its zinc ore to Dublin Port as a result of the viaduct collapse, writes Frank McDonald.
Until one of the viaduct’s piers crumbled last Friday, Tara Mines – now wholly owned by the Swedish Boliden mining group – transported up to 1,800 tonnes of “concentrate” by freight trains from the mine just north of Navan to Dublin Port.
Three or four fully laden trains travelled the route five days a week.
Under the terms of Boliden’s contract with Iarnród Éireann, the State rail company is obliged to provide road transport in the event that rail becomes unavailable.
“We had 20 trucks lined up here this morning,” John Kelly, senior human resources manager at Tara Mines, said yesterday.
“It’ll take approximately 60 truck trips per day, going down the N2 and then through the Port Tunnel”.