Australian iron port to reopen, cyclone threat passes

SYDNEY, Jan 12 (Reuters) - The Australian port of Dampier, which handles close to a fifth of the world's seabourne iron ore trade for resources giant Rio Tinto , will reopen on Saturday after a two-day closure due to a cyclone off the northwest Australian coast.

"The cyclone danger has passed and we will be resume ship loading later on Saturday morning," a spokeswoman for the port told Reuters, adding the port had suffered no damage despite being hit by high seas as the storm passed some 400 kms (250 miles) out to seas.

A second smaller port, Cape Lambert, which was also closed due to the cyclone and is used by Rio Tinto was also expected to resume operations.