This zinc filter plant and zinc concentrate storage and load-out facility at Mount Isa Mines has helped reduce the concentration of zinc particles in the air by 75%. The storage facility, which was designed and constructed by Ahrens, was built 'inside out' to eliminate build-up of zinc concentrate. All the framework and support beams are visible on the exterior of the shed, providing a smooth interior surface. The state-of-the-art loadout facility had been constructed over a railway line, allowing trains to pull into the shed so concentrate can be loaded into carts and covered while still inside the shed. In addition to the environmental benefits, the facility has increased production, with the new filters capable of producing 700,000 tonnes per annum of dried concentrate, nearly doubling the previous production rate. Ahrens is proud to be associated with this project for Xstrata, which has set a new benchmark for the extraction and handling of zinc concentrate within the Australian mining industry.