Tarmac Transportation Services

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Tarmac is a Calgary-based company that established this major ore concentrate handling and trans-shipment terminal in 1990.

Most of the lead and zinc concentrates for Teck's Trail smelter come from offshore, primarily the Red Dog mine in Alaska and from South America. After arriving at Port Metro Vancouver (BC) by ship, the concentrates are hauled by BNSF Railroad and Kettle Falls International Railway through Washington State to this terminal at Columbia Gardens, where they are offloaded and stockpiled temporarily in the covered buildings before being trucked to the smelter.

Coke (treated coal used in the smelting process) is also offloaded and stockpiled just north of the storage building.

Sulphuric acid, molten sulphur and some fertilizers produced at the smelter are transferred from truck to train here for their journey to markets.

The CPR has a rail line right into the smelter site which is used to transport coal, ammonia, and some concentrates to the plants, and to ship out the refined metals plus some of the sulphuric acid and most of the fertilizers. However, it is a longer and more indirect route from Vancouver. Teck has found overall transport costs are less using the American railroads and then transfering to trucks for the final few kilometres.