MELBOURNE, Jan. 25 -- Minerals & Metals Group, the Australian-based unit of China Minmetals Corp., suspended loading of zinc concentrate from its Century mine as a storm approaches Karumba port in northern Queensland state.

A transfer barge, which takes concentrate from the port to export ships in the Gulf of Carpentaria, has been secured after the company activated its cyclone contingency plan, Sally Cox, a spokeswoman for MMG, said today by phone from Melbourne. The plan was activated over two days last week due to the storm.

"Depending on how the weather pans out and subsequently how long the plan is activated for, there may be no impact to Century's shipping schedule," Cox said. Mining is continuing, she said.

The storm may restrengthen to a tropical cyclone over northern Australia after weakening when it crossed the coast of Queensland yesterday, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Olga was travelling over the southern Atherton Tablelands and was forecast to continue moving west today, the bureau said. The storm may re-intensify into a tropical cyclone tomorrow if it moves over Gulf of Carpentaria waters, according to a bureau update at 5:03 a.m. Sydney time.

Minmetals ships concentrate produced from its Century operation, the world's second-biggest zinc mine. The company last month restarted concentrate output at Century following an 11-week stoppage because of a ruptured pipeline.