Dow Jones Newswires reported that the country’s Mines and Energy Minister Mauricio Cardenas confirmed the accident, which involved 23 loaded cars that left the tracks between Santa Marta and Cienega on Colombia’s Atlantic coast.
The train, the news service said, was carrying coal from Glencore’s Prodeco unit, but the destination was not disclosed.
“Prodeco has already begun a contingency plan to remove the derailed cars and coal from the ground,” the minister said, adding that no-one was injured in the incident.
US producer Drummond’s Colombian operations also use the tracks. However, Dow Jones said it was not known Thursday if the operations of the railroad had been completely halted.
No public statement was made by press time by Glencore, and a spokesman for the train’s operator, Ferrocarriles Del Norte de Colombia, or Fenoco, could not be located.
Fenoco is 8.4% owned by Brazilian miner Vale, but under a deal announced in May the company is selling its stake – along with its coal assets in the country – to private producer Colombian Natural Resources arm CPC.
Colombia is the fourth largest coal producer in the world, and one of the top exporters. The country’s mines produce approximately 80 million metric tons annually.
