Ghana Bauxite Company Limited (GBC) has appointed Ecobank Ghana PLC to arrange up to USD 250 million in financing for its expansion programme, which aims to increase bauxite production and improve mining and logistics infrastructure. The parties signed the agreement in Accra on October 28, 2026. Ecobank will structure the proposed financing and coordinate participation from other banks and financial institutions. The package includes a term loan and a revolving credit facility to cover capital investment and working capital. The funds are expected to support investments in mining equipment, haulage capacity, materials-handling systems and other infrastructure at GBC’s Awaso operations in the Western North Region. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and...
China recorded the highest reported bauxite price among five major markets in the third quarter of 2026, at USD 90 per tonne, while the USA had the lowest assessment at USD 77 per tonne. India, Australia and Germany recorded prices of USD 82, USD 80 and USD 79 per tonne, respectively, highlighting regional differences in bauxite procurement costs. The USD 13-per-tonne gap between China and the USA reflects differing regional price assessments. However, the available data does not establish the precise contribution of individual factors or indicate whether prices rose or fell compared with the previous quarter. China tops regional bauxite price rankings China's bauxite price of USD 90 per tonne placed it at the top of the five-market comparison. Its substantial alumina refining industry...
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Bosnian diversified company Boksit has signed a 31 million marka ($21.3 million/15.8 million euro) deal with local aluminum producer Alumina for the delivery of bauxite next year, local media said on Friday. Boksit will also intensify its activities to open new ore deposits as a basis to implement its plans for the production and ore deliveries in future, news portal Indikator.ba said, quoting the company’s statement, without elaborating. Boksit’s core business is bauxite ore excavation. The company is also active in the extraction of other minerals, as well as in construction, transport, food processing and tourism. Boksit (www.ad-boksit.com) is based in Milici, in the eastern part of the Serb Republic, which together with the Muslim-Croat Federation forms Bosnia.
The Queensland Government has announced the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve and the Wenlock River in Cape York will be protected from open-cut and strip mining. The area is the first to be named a "strategic environmental area" under the Regional Planning Interests Bill to go before Parliament today. It coincides with the release of the draft Cape York regional plan, which is designed to boost economic development while protecting sensitive environmental areas. Queensland Environment Minister Andrew Powell says it goes further than the former Labor government's Wild Rivers legislation, which it is designed to replace. "There really is no better than the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve," he said. "It was purchased by the Howard government, in tribute to Steve. "It is fantastic to be part of a...
Rio Tinto Alcan invites Weipa residents to its final community forum for the year, and to join in celebrating 50 years of operating and 500 million tonnes of bauxite shipped. Rio Tinto Alcan Weipa general manager, Operations, Gareth Manderson said this is the third year these mine tours have been run for the community. "At the end of 2012 we received some really positive feedback from the community members who were able to catch a glimpse into our operation, so we will run the tours again this year as a part of the final community forum," Mr Manderson said. "The tours are a great way for residents and their families to learn more about the mining process and see up close some of the equipment we use." The mine tours will be held on Saturday 30 November, departing from the Western Cape...
The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has extended the one-year temporary working permit (TWP) of aluminium major Nalco for three months for operating the central and north block of Panchpatmali mines at Damanjodi in Koraput district. The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has extended the one-year temporary working permit (TWP) of aluminium major Nalco for three months for operating the central and north block of Panchpatmali mines at Damanjodi in Koraput district. "Nalco was supposed to stop mining at its (north-central block) from today but the MoEF has extended the TWP for three more months which means the PSU can carry its mining activities without any legal hurdle," Deputy Director of Mines (Koraput) Prabhat Kumar Ojha said. The mining lease of the...
South Goa collector N D Agrawal has issued an order with regards to regulating the movement of bauxite laden trucks from Shakti Bauxite mine at Naquerim, Betul, to the MPT harbour in Vasco. The order mandates that "one truck shall be allowed to come out from the mine in two minutes, in other words, there shall be an interval of two minutes between two trucks". The order has also outlined the time schedule to be followed by the trucks. The trucks will be allowed to come out from the mines between 9am and 12.30pm and between 2pm and 3.30pm. Besides, the order has laid down the following conditions for movement of trucks. "The truck owner shall follow the conditions as imposed under the Goa (Prevention of Illegal Mining, Storage and Transportation of Minerals) Rules, 2013. The movement of...
Bauxite exports from Brazil reported a 10% increase in October, after China and Canada increased purchases. Shipped volumes totalled 1.06 million tonnes in the month, compared with 966,837 tonnes in October last year. The figure also represents a 77.4% increase from September, when 597,550 tonnes were exported. Export revenue in October stood at $40.82 million, compared with $40.39 million a year earlier. China increased its imports to 308,398 tonnes in the month, from 113,876 tonnes in October 2012. Canada acquired 268,608 tonnes, from 202,322 tonnes a year earlier. By contrast, the USA reduced its imports to 274,529 tonnes of bauxite, from 316,929 tonnes in the same month last year. In the January-October period, exports were up 27.3% year-on-year at 6.99 million tonnes.
The share price of junior Queensland Bauxite climbed by more than 57% on Tuesday on news of a bauxite discovery at the South Johnstone project, in Queensland. ASX-listed Queensland Bauxite said that extensive drilling and testing within the exploration permit had shown that at least half of the 61 holes drilled were relatively enriched with alumina and depleted in silica, indicating the presence of bauxite. The project area covers about 400 km2 and is situated 16 km from the port of Mourilyan, which is currently used as a loading facility for the sugar cane industry. Queensland Bauxite said that it used a recent development in field geology to determine drilling priorities, adding that drill samples were collected at half-meter intervals. It was hoped that historic deposits could also be...
Queensland Bauxite looks set to trade higher after a further study of South Johnstone in Queensland indicates a bauxite field outside areas with known environmental issues. Extensive drilling and XRF testing has shown half of the 61 shallow holes to be relatively enriched in alumina and depleted in silica, pointing to a bauxitisation event. Samples with over 25% alumina and under 20% silica are to be alkali leach tested, with results presented as they become available. The South Johnstone permit covers 400 square kilometres, 16 kilometres west of Mourilyan deep water port in North Queensland, capable of berthing 40 kilotonne vessels. A railway runs directly through the tenement to the port, as does a network of roads, giving rise to potential low cost bauxite operations. Queensland...
Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners expects to "substantially complete" dredging at its Discovery Bay port by year end. But capital spending on its US$20-million expansion project, which includes improvements in railing infrastructure used in its bauxite mining operation, slowed in the three months to September 30. Expenditure on the dredging project totalled US$2.9 million for the six months to June 30, but was just US$200,000 in the third quarter. Also total capital expenditure during the three months to September 30 totaled US$1.5 million compared to US$2.6 million in the corresponding period in 2012. Moreover, the company still hasn't drawn on a US$20 million line of credit that was secured in 2012 for use in capital improvements at its St Ann bauxite mine. And while overall capital...
Saudi Arabian Mining Co. (Ma'aden) expects to start producing bauxite from a new mine in the second quarter of 2014, a company executive said on Wednesday. Ma'aden and U.S. partner Alcoa are developing a mine with the capacity to produce 4 million tonnes per year of raw material for their new aluminium complex in Saudi Arabia. "We are going to get first bauxite from the mine in the second quarter of 2014," Khalid Abdullah Al-luhaidan, a senior Ma'aden aluminium executive, told a conference in Abu Dhabi. The bauxite will be transported by rail from the Al Ba'itha mine in north-eastern Saudi Arabia to the $10.8 billion complex at Ras Al Khair on the Gulf coast. One of the two potlines at the new smelter shut due to problems during a ramp up in production in mid October. A potline is a...
China’s bauxite imports soared in September ahead of Indonesia’s possible export ban in 2014, Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) has learned. China imported 7.59 million mt of bauxite during September, surging 347.09% YoY. YTD imports through September totaled 53.498 million mt, also up 76.14% YoY, according to China Customs. Chinese alumina producers relying on imported bauxite stepped up imports out of fears that in 2014 the Indonesian government will ban exports of unprocessed ores, including bauxite. Meanwhile, mining companies in Indonesia are eager to increase exports before the possible export ban takes effect, which is behind the sharp increase in bauxite exports to China. Shandong Weiqiao Pioneering Group is the only alumina producer in China that is currently building alumina plant in...
National Coal-Mineral Industries Group Vinacomin has received an import duty exemption from the Ministry of Finance on its machine spare parts for Tan Rai, Vietnam’s first bauxite plant that began official operations in September. Normally the government will consider a tax break for shipments of items which the country does not make. But the ministry said the spare parts “could be” classified in this category as the locally-made items carry little guarantee on quality, Vinacomin said in a statement on its website. The exemption was backed by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, who said the state group would otherwise pay more than VND100 billion (US$4.74 million) in tax. Besides the import tariff break for spare parts for the $700-million plant...
Metal Bulletin’s 3rd alumina and bauxite conference which has recently concluded in Singapore highlighted the following topics: 1. Challenges remain for Indonesia in implementing its proposed ban on exports of raw materials. Among them are dealing with the interests of local power centres who issue mining permits and coordinating between different ministries, Soemantri Widagdo, adviser to the ministry of industry said. 2. China, the biggest buyer of Indonesian bauxite, is scouring for bauxite and alumina in many different countries, including Guinea, Guyana, Ghana, Philippines, Fiji, Australia, Laos and Jamaica. 3. Australian junior miners such as Cape Alumina and Bauxite Resources Ltd believe they are in a good position to take advantage of the Indonesian ban and fill in the supply gap....
Vedanta Aluminium Ltd's (VAL) hope to source bauxite from Sijimali and Kutrumali mines in south Odisha's Rayagada and Kalahandi districts has hit a legal roadblock. Engineering giant L&T had originally obtained prospecting license (PL) over the two deposits. The grant of ML was expected to come to VAL's rescue since the Anil Agarwal controlled firm had picked up 24 per cent stake in L&T promoted Raykal Aluminium. The special purpose vehicle called Raykal Aluminum was formed to implement L&T's one million tonne refinery proposed at Rayagada. But the Odisha government's counsel in the Supreme Court U U Lalit has advised against issuing ML to L&T. A state government official said the counsel's refusal stems from the fact that L&T had won PL for the twin bauxite deposits way back in 1992 and...
The National Workers Union (NWU) says it will by next week be asking the Ministry of Labour to conduct a representational rights poll among employees at WINDALCO. The union is seeking bargaining rights for workers at the bauxite company. However, WINDALCO has reportedly rejected its efforts to represent 500 production staff. NWU President Vincent Morrison says the union will now be turning to the labour ministry. Morrison says the workers have asked the NWU to make representation on their behalf in relation to wages and terms and conditions of employment. The NWU already represents a large number of workers in the bauxite sector.
Australia’s Bauxite Resources expects China will source a greater proportion of its bauxite requirement from Australia and West Africa over the next decade, ceo Peter Canterbury said. The company is gearing up to support growth for an obvious supply gap in the market as a result of the uncertainty of bauxite supplies from India and Indonesia, he told delegates at Metal Bulletin’s 3rd Asian Bauxite and Alumina conference on Thursday October 31. Australia made up 22% of China’s import requirement of 38.4 million tonnes of bauxite in 2012, but looking ahead could be responsible for up to 48% of the Asian country’s total import requirements of 84.6 million tonnes by 2022. “A number of new projects need to come on stream to meet the continuously increasing demand in the third-party bauxite...
Australian junior miner Cape Alumina expects construction at its Pisolite Hills project to be completed by mid-2015 and first bauxite production in late 2015, ceo Graeme Sherlock said on Tuesday. The Pisolite Hills project in Queensland, has a resource of about 134.6 million tonnes with the potential to produce 7.5 million tpy of dry bauxite over a 14-year period, he told delegates at the Metal Bulletin’s 3rd Asian Bauxite and Alumina conference in Singapore. China’s Xinfa has already secured a 1 million tpy bauxite offtake for 5 years of the project, Sherlock added. The Pisolite Hills project will need capex of A$396 million ($376 million) for first production in October 2015. “[The project is] located close to the coast and has ready access to the markets in China and India,” Sherlock...
Siberians are ready to build furnaces and recycle the red mud remaining after the processing of bauxite. The new technology, they argue, will produce cheap iron, rare earth metals and silica foam, which enjoys popularity in Europe throughout various industries. The project was supported by the Sverdlovsk authorities during a meeting of all parties concerned in Kamensk-Uralsky, but the Chairman of the Regional Government, Denis Pasler, believes that it would be difficult to implement due to high inflation and the specific business environment in Russia. UC RUSAL created about 14 million tons of waste each year until recently, of which more than 2 million accounted for production of the Bogoslovsky and Uralsky aluminium plants located in the Sverdlovsk region. Red mud containing 30%...
