Australia's total bauxite export estimated to reach 23.25 million mt in 2016 up 12.7% YoY

The demand for quality Australian bauxite is on the rise. Globally, vertically integrated aluminium companies are looking at Australia-wide opportunities to tap their bauxite reserves either by starting mining operations there in the country or by sourcing the ore through imports. There are other countries like Malaysia and Ghana which by virtue of their rich bauxite reserves occupy important positions in the international bauxite market, but Australia has been giving them a tough competition as an emerging bauxite supplier for a while now.

During January to July period of the current financial year, Australia shipped a total volume of 13.25 million metric tonnes (mt) of bauxite in comparison to 11.7 million mt recorded in the corresponding period of previous financial year, an increase of 11.63 per cent. The total bauxite shipment from Australia is estimated to reach 23.25 million mt in 2016, up 12.71 per cent from 2015, when the total bauxite exports stood at 20.29 million mt.


Value-wise, Australia’s total bauxite export in fiscal 2016 is estimated to reach USD732.63 million down per cent from the same period previous fiscal when the total aluminium ore export totalled at USD1124.51 million. The decrease in total dollar value can be attributed to the decline in bauxite prices in the global market weighed on by supply shortage. A rise in demand from the Chinese refineries has of late buoyed the price up.

Australia has remained a key supplier of bauxite to China. According to the China Resources Quarterly report released in May 2016, China imported 13.6 million mt of bauxite in Q1 of 2016, soaring 36 per cent from the same period in 2015 but was 20 per cent less than the December quarter. The aluminium ore imports from Australia reached 4 million mt in the March quarter, contributing to 29 per cent of the China’s total imports.

The volume of bauxite supplies to China from Australia has also declined from 4.5 million mt in October-December 2015 and 4.9 million mt in the first three months of 2015. Fuelling the 36 per cent yearly jump in China's bauxite imports during the March quarter was increased supplies from Brazil and Malaysia, revealed data published in the report.

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Currently, there are five bauxite mines in Australia providing feedstock to seven domestic alumina refineries. These are:

• Boddington (Western Australia) owned by South32 - Worsley Alumina
• Gove (Northern Territory) owned by Pacific Aluminium
• Huntly (Western Australia) owned by Alcoa
• Willowdale (Western Australia) of Alcoa
• Weipa (Queensland) of Rio Tinto Alcan

The Gove and Weipa bauxite mines have close to 50 per cent available alumina and are among the highest grade deposits in the world.

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