Nimba Mining Company SA has appointed Patrice L'Huillier as Director General and Djiba Diakité as Chairman of the Board of Directors, with both appointments confirmed through separate presidential decrees. The announcement was made on Friday, October 23, 2026, during a national television news broadcast. L'Huillier, a civil engineer specialising in bridges and roads, will serve as Director General for an initial three-year term, which is renewable. According to his appointment decree, he will work under a performance contract with the Ministry of Mines and Geology. The contract will establish his objectives, the methods for assessing his performance and his obligations regarding the transfer of skills to national staff. In a separate decree, Diakité, Minister Director of the Cabinet of...
Rio Tinto’s planned USD 1.9 billion investment in the Kangwinan bauxite project is expected to support more than 1,300 construction jobs in Queensland, while helping secure the long-term future of its Weipa mining operations as existing sources of production approach the end of their lives. Located on Western Cape York Peninsula, Kangwinan will add 20 million tonnes of annual bauxite production capacity, with first output targeted for 2029 and full production expected by 2032. The project will raise Weipa Operations’ annual capacity to around 44 million tonnes from current production of approximately 38 million tonnes. Construction is scheduled to ramp up in 2027. Beyond the immediate employment boost, the investment is expected to help sustain Rio Tinto’s residentially based workforce of...
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None of the Odisha mining blocks has made it to the final list of blocks that would be auctioned in July. The Union Ministry of mines has come up with a list of 31 blocks, the auction process for which has already been initiated by different state governments. There are five blocks in Andhra Pradesh, 14 in Karnataka, four in Madhya Pradesh and eight in Maharashtra. According to the sources in the steel and mines department, the Centre has not permitted auction of any block from Odisha as they have not been upgraded to G-2 level of exploration which has been made mandatory in the auction rules. Official sources said that the state government lined up six iron ore, limestone and bauxite blocks for auction. The combined market value of these blocks is estimated at INR18,620 crore. The Malda...
Alcoa has loaded its first shipment of WA bauxite destined for a Chinese alumina refinery, describing the event at Kwinana today as a milestone moment. The 47,000 tonne parcel of bauxite, from the Alcoa of Australia joint venture’s Darling Range mines, is the start of an export trial approved by the WA Government. Alcoa wants to test the viability of exporting some of its massive bauxite reserves, which traditionally have been used exclusively to feed its alumina refineries at Kwinana, Wagerup and Pinjarra. With more bauxite than it needs for its refineries, Alcoa wants to cash in on third-party bauxite demand, predominantly in China, that is thought to be worth up to 70 million tonnes a year. Alcoa Mining president Garret Dixon, said today’s milestone shipment supported the company’s...
Emirates Global Aluminium (“EGA”) will begin construction on a major bauxite mine in the Republic of Guinea, to secure supply of the high-quality raw material for its primary aluminium production facilities in the United Arab Emirates and create a new, substantial revenue stream through significant exports to Asia. EGA announced it has received final approval from its Board of Directors to launch the first phase of the mine, to be managed through its subsidiary, Guinea Alumina Corporation (“GAC”). The project will develop an initial 12 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) bauxite mine in the Republic of Guinea, where the company holds a concession on more than 1 billion tonnes of bauxite. The project will also include the construction of a dedicated export terminal at Port Kamsar and upgrades...
Aurukun bauxite deposit has been hit with a legal challenge over the granting of preferred developer status to mining giant Glencore. This has put the future of hundreds of potential jobs at stake. Aurukun Bauxite Developments has lodged a claim for a judicial review to the decision made under the Newman government claiming it was denied natural justice. Mr Nick Stump, who heads the $20 billion mining company, pointed to the decision by then state development minister Jeff Seeney to open and close the bidding process in 24 hours. In court documents ABD claims that the government decision to open and close the bid process in 24 hours did not give it any chance to respond to or make a submission for the preferred developer status. The massive deposit has been on the shelf for more than 40...
Two major water harvesting and Greenhouse projects that have been recently started in Watt Town and Tobolski in South West St. Ann in Jamaica are helping farmers earn revenues after a long hiatus. The projects running successfully on mined-out bauxite lands are adding substantial economic value to their communities, the farmers said. President of the Tobolski Farmers’ Group, Roselda Walker said the projects provide a great opportunity for residents of the community to improve their lives through agriculture. The overall project is worth $243 million, with $173 million coming from JSIF and $61 million from the JBI. The farmers are engaged in the cultivation of eight crops, including sweet peppers and tomatoes for the hotel sector. She stated that based on the success of the project so far,...
CBIX eased marginally over the week, down 0.7 per cent (US$0.3) to US$45.1/dmt, with ViU-adjusted prices showing some convergence. Malaysian cargos are beginning to re-enter the market, with prices unchanged at US$25-26/dmt FOB for unwashed material (US$29.4/dmt on a ViU-adjusted basis) and US$37/dmt FOB for washed material. Cargos from Australia averaged US$44.6/dmt over the week on a ViU-adjusted basis. Chinese alumina prices are also treading water, with the North China domestic alumina price unchanged at RMB1,952/t (US$297/t including VAT) and the south down 0.5 per cent (RMB10/t) to RMB1,855/t (US$282/t including VAT). With restarts of around 5 MTPY already this year, China’s domestic alumina supply demand balance seems to have been re-established, at least in the short term. From...
London-listed Vedanta Resources is looking up to auctions of bauxite blocks to clinch long-term raw material security for its alumina refinery at Lanjigarh (Odisha). Vedanta was feeding the refinery by sourcing bauxite from other states as well as importing from countries like Guinea. The refinery operations had become unviable in the absence of local bauxite sources and Vedanta had idled one stream of the refinery’s operations to trim the ballooning losses. As of now, the Lanjigarh refinery is operating at 0.8 million tonne per annum (mtpa) though it has approvals to run at a capacity of up to four mtpa. Idling one stream of the refinery has helped Vedanta cut its daily losses from INR 3.5-4 crore to INR 2 crore presently. But since Vedanta has already initiated capacity ramp up of its...
Guinea's Bauxite Company (CBG) has reached an agreement in principle over a $1 billion loan to increase production capacity at the Kamsar treatment plant, the firm's general director told Reuters on Friday. Guinea has around a third of the world's reserves of bauxite, used to make aluminium, although development has been hampered by years of military rule and popular unrest. The West African country produces around 19 million tonnes per year. "We have obtained the agreement in principle of all our financial partners for the loan of $1 billion for the expansion project of the CBG," Namory Conde said, declining to name the backers. He said the loan will support a goal to boost bauxite production at the factory from the current annual output of 14.5 million tonnes to 18.5 million tonnes in...
Global bauxite ore production is set to experience solid growth driven by a robust project pipeline and reach 321.3 million tonnes (Mt) in 2020, according to a recent industry report. The report states that the production will witness a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.1 per cent from 2016 to 2020. The report explains that bauxite mining will flourish in the forecast period backed by key upcoming projects, as well as continued investments in smelting and processing. The leading bauxite producers accounted for an estimated 75.8 per cent of the global total ore production in 2015 and include Australia, China, Brazil, Guinea and Jamaica. Significant projects expected to boost production include Australia's Bauxite Hills project and the Guinea Dian-Dian project with a 3Mt capacity,...
CBIX eased over the week, down 1 per cent (US$0.4) to US$45.4/dmt. This comes on the back of a low ViU-priced cargo from Guinea and lower Malaysian FOB prices, which have pulled back slightly, to US$25.5/dmt for unwashed material FOB and US$34/dmt CIF. Unwashed grades are reportedly 40.5 per cent total alumina and 5 per cent total silica, which is consistent with typical Kuantan export grades. Washed prices is quoted at US$43/dmt CIF. CBIX is "value in use" CFR reference price for a standard gibbsitic bauxite (5 per cent reacting silica, 10 per cent moisture, 50 per cent reacting alumina - 5/10/50) which reflects the market conditions for bauxite imports into China. The Malaysian pull back has been attributed to demand contraction, which has forced trucking and barging costs lower. We...
According to Jamaica’s Minister of Transport and Mining Michael Henry, authorities expect to reopen the Alpart bauxite mine and alumina refinery in Nain, St Elizabeth, in the present fiscal year, which runs from April 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017. Henry made the disclosure while speaking to Jamaica’s House of Representatives last week. The Alpart complex is owned and operated by Russia’s UC Rusal. “We are working through the issues with UC RUSAL to see the way forward for the Alpart plant,” said the minister. The Alipart plant, whose nameplate production is 1.7 million tons of alumina (via the Bayer process) and 4.9 million tons of bauxite per annum, was launched in 1969. It operates under the auspices of Alumina Partners of Jamaica, which was founded the same year. Alpart was initially...
Bauxite prices in China have shown signs of rising, especially in Shanxi province, where more new alumina capacity came on stream than other regions, reported industry sources. Rising alumina prices gave Chinese alumina producers incentive to restart idled capacity or bring online new capacity, boosting bauxite demand and prices. Survey showed bauxite (Al/Si ratio at 5.5) in Shanxi traded at 240-250 yuan/tonne (excluding VAT, delivery to factory) recently, up 10-20 yuan/tonne from May. With alumina prices in Guizhou province stabilizing at 1,900 yuan/tonne, local bauxite prices appear set to rise soon. Bauxite (Al/Si ratio at 6) in the province still trades at 170-180 yuan/tonne (excluding VAT, delivery to factory) at the moment, but might see a 10-20 yuan/tonne rise in the near term.
A Dubai-based resources firm is in talks with trading houses to develop bauxite reserves in Guinea, valued at $8 billion and previously held by BHP Billiton, the company's co-founder said on Thursday. James Tounkara, co-founder of Gajah Investment Group, said he also expected Chinese involvement in the project that he expects to start production by the end of next year, but there had been no contact yet. Guinea has around a third of the world's bauxite reserves, used for making aluminium, although their development has been thwarted by years of military rule and popular unrest. BHP, which formerly owned the Boffa South bauxite blocks, some 150 km (93 miles) north of the capital Conakry, halted exploration in 2012 there after aluminium prices dropped. Tounkara said Guinea "missed the...
A large bauxite deposit was found in Ludian County, Yunnan Province, the China Geological Survey (CGS) reported. The deposit is estimated to have 20.1 million tonnes of reserves, the CGS added.
Transport and Mining Minister of Jamaica, Hon. Mike Henry, says that mined-out bauxite lands across the island will be returned to productive use, especially in the area of agriculture. During a tour of two water harvesting and greenhouse cluster projects in St. Ann on June 2, Mr. Henry said he is determined to ensure that the lands are returned to the people of Jamaica with a view to adding value to their lives. The projects, which are under the auspices of the Jamaica Social Investment Fund’s (JSIF) Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) and the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI), are located in Watt Town and Tobolski in South West St. Ann and involve some 160 farmers and over 40 greenhouses. Other greenhouses are located in Schwollingburg and Nine Miles in St. Ann; Content, Blue...
CRU issued a report late last week detailing the future of bauxite ore, and, according to CRU’s analysts, the future looks pretty good. Following is an overview of the top bauxite-producing regions and an outlook for the coming months. Indonesia – the archipelagic country had been the source for up to 70 per cent of bauxite imports into the People’s Republic of China. However, a ban enacted in January 2014 sent China searching for a new outlet. Indonesia is attempting to mold its natural resource market into one more oriented towards value-added investment. According to CRU, the ban, which has already passed constitutional muster, is likely to remain in place. Ministerial regulations may change, however, and bauxite exports, while not likely, are still distinctly possible. Malaysia –...
CBIX lifted 3.3% (US$1.5/dmt) over the week, on the back of higher ViU-priced cargos from Australia. This was despite Brazilian material being sold at record low prices into China. Higher Australian prices are no surprise, given the recent rally in alumina prices and the link between bauxite and alumina prices. Brazilian prices are a surprise, given the typical quality and grade of Brazilian bauxite. Malaysian FOB prices remain unchanged, despite the resumption of small tonnages through Kemamanport. Prices are still quoted in the range US$25/dmt to US$27/dmt (unadjusted) for unwashed material and US$37/dmt for washed material. Developments in Guinea continue at breakneck speed, with the SMB/Winning Group moving quickly to establish a second barge-loading facility opposite its existing...
The Centre in a joint venture with the Goa government is planning to have a satellite port, about 35 kms from Mormugao Port Trust, Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said yesterday. "The Centre in a joint venture with the Goa government is planning to have a satellite port which will be 35 kilometres away from Mormugao Port Trust in Balli village of South Goa," the Minister said. The satellite port will have the capacity to handle 50 lakh ton bauxite and ten lakh tonne of iron ore per year, he said. "The bauxite would be transported by conveyor belt and iron ore by road, the minister added. He informed the proposal regarding the satellite port was yesterday submitted to Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar. "The Chief Minister has said (that) he is keen on this project. He will take...
