International Responsible Business Conduct (IRBC) has completed a project examining aluminium and bauxite supply chains to improve transparency and traceability in materials supporting the renewable energy transition. The project brought together wind energy company Siemens Gamesa, Dutch cable manufacturer TKF, Digital Product Passport (DPP) technology provider Minespider, and project partner Responsible Trade. The initiative mapped selected upstream aluminium and bauxite supply chains and tested secure DPPs to organise and present traceability and sustainability information across multiple supplier tiers. Explore the production, demand and consumption forecasts of bauxite and alumina in our report: " Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price...
Mount Ridley Mines has reported 94.9 per cent gallium recovery from a third-party bauxite sample using its patent-pending Selectro process, alongside recoveries of 92 per cent aluminium and 97 per cent iron in a single low-temperature leach. The test also produced a silica-rich residue instead of conventional red mud, highlighting the technology’s potential to recover multiple metals from bauxite through one processing route. The sample was provided by Australian Silica Quartz Group from its Darling Range bauxite project in Western Australia. It comprised material collected from 16 vacuum drill samples across four holes at the Athena and Ceres prospects. Containing 80 parts per million of gallium, the sample yielded an extraction rate of 94.9 per cent into solution. Mount Ridley said this...
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The bauxite mining subsidiary of one of the leading aluminium producers recently announced the suspension of its bauxite export operations from Port Kamsar (GNKMR). However, there has been no official justification for the move. How can it impact the Guinean workforce? Despite possessing the world's largest bauxite reserves, the highest-grade iron ore, and significant diamond and gold resources, Guinea remains one of the poorest countries in the world. The move raises serious concerns for the future of its Guinean workforce, with potential repercussions for local employment and the broader economic landscape. According to sources close to the situation, this operation pause could lead to significant job losses if not promptly resolved. It is important to note that these types of mining...
West Africa, led by Guinea, is rapidly becoming a key supplier of bulk cargo for the Capesize shipping trades, bolstered by China's expanding electric vehicle (EV) industry. With Capesize and larger shipments from the region rising at an annual rate of 19.6 per cent since 2018, analysts at broker BRS project West African exports could exceed 150 million tonnes in 2024. The region's largest contribution comes from Guinea, but other nations are also seeing significant growth. Mauritania, Africa's second-largest iron ore producer, along with Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Gabon, now accounts for approximately 20 per cent of Capesize and above cargo volumes leaving West Africa. Notably, Ghana's iron ore exports surged by 76 per cent in the first nine months of this year. Gabon has tapped into the...
The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) has confirmed that the removal of two derelict bauxite vessels from the Naiviqiri jetty in Bua is set to take place soon. MSAF Chief Executive Joeli Cawaki shared this update with FBC News, noting that the vessels are among those prioritised for removal due to safety concerns and potential environmental risks to the nearby fishing grounds, which support several coastal villages in Naiviqiri. The ships, formerly used to transport bauxite, have been abandoned at the jetty since mining operations ceased in Nawailevu, Bua. While MSAF is fully aware of the situation, some final steps still need to be completed before removing the vessels. "The two ships in Naiviqiri will be removed; it is in our lists, so this also applies to all other derelict...
Shanxi Coking Coal Energy Group Co., Ltd. has announced a major acquisition, securing prospecting rights for coal and bauxite resources in the city of Lvliang. The deal, valued at RMB 24.7 billion ($3.46 billion), represents a significant expansion of the company's resource portfolio. The acquisition is expected to bolster Shanxi Coking Coal's strategic position in the energy and raw materials sector as the company continues to enhance its influence within China's resource-rich regions. The move aligns with broader industry trends of securing essential materials to meet growing energy and industrial demands. Lüliang, also spelt Lvliang or Lyuliang, is a prefecture-level city in western Shanxi province, People's Republic of China. The region is rich in natural resources, with over 90 per...
Montenegro has consented to a concession contract with Novi Boksiti, a metal ore mining company in Niksic, over intricate geological probes and exploitation of red bauxite in the western municipality of Niksic. Montenegro's Minister of Mining, Oil and Gas, Admir Sahmanovic, worked out and signed the details of the contracts with Novi Boksti's executive head, Zeljko Markus, over the weekends. During the session, Novi presented their strategies and deadlines to Minister Sahmanovic and State Secretary Dino Tutundzic. The company officials disclosed that they will initially disperse 25 workers to carry out preparatory works and geological exploration, starting from project design, drilling, and test pit excavation. Boksiti has already spent 1 million Euros (approx USD 1.1 million) on...
China’s bauxite imports in September 2024 fell 25.68 per cent month-on-month owing to supply disruptions from Guinea, first due to unfavourable weather conditions but now due to exports being blocked by Guinea’s customs authorities. According to China’s General Administration of Customs, China’s bauxite import volume in September amounted to 11.5536 million tonnes, reflecting a month-on-month decline of 25.68 per cent from 15.546 million tonnes but edged a Y-o-Y growth of 15.82 per cent. The monthly decline is due to decreased import volume from Guinea, Malaysia, and Brazil. Although the imports from other countries like Australia, Turkey, Laos, and Ivory Coast increased, they were insufficient to offset the monthly drop. As the above chart indicates, China’s bauxite imports from Guinea...
This week, the upstream sector of the aluminium industry, comprising bauxite, alumina, and primary aluminium, witnessed some important events. One of the notable events would be the alumina price exceeding the RMB 4500 mark, breaking all the records of the past thirteen years. The alumina prices have been on the rise incessantly since August. Apart from this, two major companies in the aluminium industry, Rio Tinto and Alcoa, announced their financial results for Q3. As per the reports, Rio Tinto's bauxite output reached 15.1 million tonnes, marking a 2.7 per cent increase quarter-on-quarter from 14.7 million tonnes and an 8.6 per cent rise year-on-year from 13.9 million tonnes. Alcoa reported a sharp rise in net income, climbing from $20 million in Q2 2024 to $90 million in Q3 2024,...
Rio Tinto, a leading global mining group, has announced its production and operational results for the third quarter of 2024 ended September 30. Overall, the company has achieved many new milestones across its operations, including a surge in bauxite production. Overview of bauxite production The Q3 report revealed that Rio Tinto's bauxite output reached 15.1 million tonnes, recording a Q-o-Q increase of 2.7 per cent from 14.7 million tonnes and a year-on-year rise of 8.6 per cent from 13.9 million tonnes . In nine months, Rio's bauxite production totalled 43.2 million tonnes, up by 9 per cent year-on-year. The persistent rise in Rio's bauxite output through the third quarter of 2024 could be attributed to improved production efficiency owing to the implementation of the Safe Production...
In a bold statement on October 8, 2024, Tony Wenas, President Director of PT Freeport Indonesia, one of the world's leading mining and ore processing companies, expressed his support for the potential removal of government regulations that currently restrict the duration of mining concessions. Wenas highlighted that many countries do not impose time limits on mining operations, provided that concession holders adhere to responsible and sustainable mining practices. This perspective underscores a growing recognition of the need for regulatory frameworks that foster long-term investments in the mining sector while ensuring environmental stewardship. Wenas's comments could pave the way for significant changes in Indonesia's mining policies, promoting a more flexible approach that aligns with...
Ashanti Bauxite Limited, a joint venture between the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) and Rocksure International Limited, has announced ambitious plans to develop a bauxite mine with an integrated refinery in the Nyinahin-Mpasaaso area of the Ashanti Region. This initiative is part of the joint venture's Project 2, which aims to strengthen Ghana's global aluminium value chain position. A key milestone for the project was reached with the submission of the company's mining lease to Parliament for ratification, a critical step in moving the project forward. Once approved, the project will kick off in earnest, marking a significant development in the country's bauxite mining and refining ambitions. Notably, the lease includes a groundbreaking provision to allocate...
Arrow Minerals Limited is poised to launch its maiden bauxite exploration program at the Niagara Bauxite Project in Guinea. The program will include drilling, bulk sampling, and metallurgical testing to estimate Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources. This will set the stage for a Scoping Study in the first half 2025. The project's initial phase will focus on three of nine identified targets, selected for their strategic location near the rail corridor and cost-effective start-up potential. These targets will benefit from past exploration efforts, including 448 drill holes completed in previous campaigns by companies such as Vale in 2007. Arrow plans to drill approximately 150 holes, spaced 600m by 600m and reducing to 300m by 300m, totalling around 2,000 meters of drilling. In...
Australasian Metals Limited has identified substantially elevated gallium (Ga) levels during a re-evaluation of data from its May Queen South Bauxite project. These findings have the potential to significantly increase the value of the May Queen South Bauxite deposits. The increasing demand for gallium in the semiconductor industry is anticipated to open significant opportunities for the company. Results showing elevated gallium levels The May Queen South Bauxite Project, strategically situated in central Queensland, benefits from proximity to rail links that offer convenient access to both the Port of Bundaberg and the Port of Brisbane. The project boasts a JORC 2012-compliant Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 54.9 million tonnes, with grades of 37.5 per cent total Al₂O₃, 5.2...
In September 2024, Metro Mining’s bauxite shipment from Bauxite Hills Mine in Queensland recorded a new monthly high of 780,000 tonnes, up 8 per cent from 720,000 tonnes in August 2024 . Year-on-year, the shipment in September marked an increase of 35 per cent. The surge in monthly shipment could be attributed to the operations beyond the nameplate capacity of the wobbler screening circuit and offshore floating terminal (OFT) Ikamba. OFT Ikamba offloading rates have increased to an average of 1,800 tonnes per hour, with a peak of 2,500 tonnes per hour. Metro Mining reported that its total shipments in the third quarter amounted to 2.13 million tonnes, bringing the year-to-date volume to 3.65 million tonnes. These volumes are in line with the company’s annual shipping target of 6 to 6.4...
PT Aneka Tambang, an Indonesian mining company, has begun the first bauxite injection phase at its Smelter Grade Alumina Refinery Mempawah Project. The company says this phase initiates the commissioning of the project, which is a joint effort between PT Aneka Tambang, popularly known as ANTAM, and PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium, recognised as INALUM. The inauguration of the first bauxite injection was on September 29, 2024, in presence of several officials, including Minister Erick Thohir, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, and directors and commissioners. As per the understanding between the two firms, ANTAM will supply bauxite to the project from its mines in West Kalimantan. The project with alumina production target of 1 million tonnes will require 3.3 million...
The Baphlimali Bauxite Mines, located in Odisha and operated by Utkal Alumina, a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited under the Aditya Birla Group, has been honoured with the esteemed Misrilal Jain Environment Award for 2023-24. The award, presented by Shri V.L. Kanta Rao, I.A.S., Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Mines, was conferred during a ceremony organised by the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI). Rabi Mishra, Unit Head at Utkal Alumina, said, "We are honoured to receive this recognition, which reflects our dedication to preserving the environment while meeting the growing demand for bauxite. This award belongs to the entire team whose hard work and passion drive our sustainability initiatives." This recognition highlights the Baphlimali team's...
China's bauxite imports have set a new monthly high for August 2024, exceeding the previous month's record by marking M-o-M increase of 3.64 per cent and year-on-year surge of 34.23 per cent. China incessantly ramped up its bauxite import by volume, taking advantage of lower imported prices compared to domestic rates. In August, while the domestic average price was US$89.24 per tonne, the imported price was US$75.77 per tonne, marking a difference of US$13.47 per tonne. According to the General Administration of Customs, China imported 15.546 million tonnes of bauxite in August 2024 versus 15.0007 million tonnes in July. From January to August, China's total bauxite imports amounted to 107.8974 million tonnes, up by 11.8 per cent Y-o-Y. Leading import sources Guinea, Australia, Turkey,...
On September 19, 2024, the UK embassy in Jakarta announced that Britain signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Indonesia to collaborate on critical minerals. Indonesia, the largest country in Southeast Asia and known for its vast mineral resources, will work with the UK to enhance policy dialogue, exchange technical knowledge, and foster expertise in key areas such as supply chain resilience, sustainable processing (both upstream and downstream), and the assessment of mineral criticality. The statement did not provide specific details regarding the agreement. With its abundant deposits of bauxite, tin, and copper, Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of nickel ore. The country strives to maximise the value of its mineral resources. The country is actively seeking to attract...
Canyon Resources Limited has reached a major milestone by signing the Mining Licence for its Minim-Martap Bauxite Project in Cameroon. This development comes shortly after the July 2024 Mining Convention's approval, highlighting Cameroonian authorities' strong backing. Canyon Resources' Chief Executive Officer, Jean-Sebastien Boutet, and the Interim Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Professor Fuh Calistus Gentry, attended the official signing ceremony. With the Mining Convention and Licence secured, Canyon Resources and its subsidiary, Camalco SA, are now authorised to mine and export bauxite and alumina from Minim Martap. The company is fully prepared to embark on a comprehensive pipeline of activities over the next 12 months, including developing port and rail...
