Aurum Exploration Fiji to resume bauxite exports after a year

Aurum Exploration Fiji Ltd is all set to export 70,000 tonnes of bauxite valued at $4 million, which had remained unshipped at the mining sites, next month after a year of export halt. Acting director for mines at the Department of Mineral Resources, Apete Soro, confirmed that the bauxite company had secured an international buyer. The loading of the ore would begin at the end of this month for shipment in middle of August.

"Depending on the ship capacity, the plan is to export approximately 70,000 tonnes of bauxite as first shipment in 2016," Mr Soro said.

The delay in shipment over the past one year, he added, was because of the sluggish demand in the Chinese bauxite market. The low impurity content of bauxite from Bua was another contributing factor for the delay.

"Major bauxite buyers target high-grade or high-quality bauxite. Fiji bauxite is not classed as high-grade, hence, the immense challenge faced by Aurum Exploration in securing a market or buyer for Fiji bauxite," Mr Soro said. "Due to its low impurity content, there is increasing efficiency of processing plants and reducing processing costs and overall costs of aluminium production."

"The commissioning of a bauxite ore washing plant at Aurum's Naibulu, Dreketi mine site has assisted greatly in the company's efforts to remove or reduce impurities in bauxite ore before export and has significantly improved the bauxite ore quality from Naibulu Mine," he added.

Mr Soro updated that this project had enabled Aurum Exploration to secure an international buyer for its first bauxite shipment this year.