The dispute with Palmer previously stopped CITIC from shipping ore and the company did not provide word this morning on whether there had been a development in the proceedings.

A spokesperson told Mining News the company was holding a small ceremony onsite today to mark the first shipment and Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett would be part of the proceedings.

CITIC started two production lines at Sino earlier this year and has been stockpiling ore at its Cape Preston port.

Despite reaching the initial export phase, the Sino project has suffered from several years of delays and billions of dollars in budget blow-outs.

The legal dispute over royalties with Palmer also hampered the project’s development, with the outspoken entrepreneur previously threatening to terminate the project’s mining rights.