Worth about $500,000, chief executive officer Jim Wilson said the load was a milestone for the company.

“It’s another step forward,” he said.

“We have plenty of challenges before us and we’ll keep pressing forward.”

While the mine has been transporting production materials for some time, they were only partial train loads, and the company now expects its June production levels to hit a monthly record.

And local Mindarie resident Bev Fowlers said despite initial resistance from “out of towners” the new mine had benefited the town.

“It’s got to help somebody,” she said.

“It’s got to help those who bought the land and who’s working on it.”

Mr Wilson said the mine now employed 85 people, half of which were locals.

He said everyone who worked at the mine lived within a 70 kilometre radius of the town, and the wages had a substantial flow-on effect in the region.