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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BMW Group, Tetra Pak and Schuco International KG, the three global manufacturing companies have countered to agitate over the usage of aluminium produced from bauxite mined at the Atewa Forest in Ghana. The global manufacturers have communicated in letters their stand to the Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape (CCAL), the grassroots movement advocating against bauxite mining in Atewa Forest. As all the three companies are members of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) established to certify members and their products in the bauxite-aluminium supply chain that meet its sustainability standards. Although the companies appreciate the Ghana government’s desire to develop the aluminium sector for economic development and poverty reduction, they have strongly stated that their...
It has been now declared that more than 1 billion tonnes of bauxite are detected in the mining towns of Minim, Martap, Ngaoundal and Makan in the Adamawa region, Cameroon. It emerges from the research work of the Australian mining company Camalco, a subsidiary of Canyon resources as reported on 25 th January 2021 by the Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development (Minmidt). However, according to Camalco officials, the exploitation of the ore is scheduled for the end of 2022. According to the estimate made through metallurgical and geological tests, the project contains resources classified almost totally in the “indicated” category and considered to be extremely reliable according to the JORC standards (Australasian code of communication of the results of exploration,...
On 28 th January 2021, the US-based Big Data Analytics Company Palantir Technologies announced that it has signed a multi-year enterprise agreement for its ‘Foundry Platform’ with global mining and metal giant Rio Tinto. Palantir Technologies software will integrate raw data from a multitude of dissimilar sources into a representation of critical mining operations. Rio Tinto will be able to make decisions and take actions using a single source of truth that incorporates operational and transactional data. This data resource will be available, with the necessary security and privacy controls, to its frontline and office-based workers. Fay Cranmer, CIO, Rio Tinto, said: “This partnership is an important step in our digital transformation; enabling fast-paced, forward-looking decision making...
Metro Mining is projecting a positive year ahead with sales expected to progress, including 2.3 million tonnes under an offtake agreement with Xinfa. The company is also satisfactorily placed in terms of financial position for 2021, led by the robust bauxite deliveries during the June and September quarters of 2020. Metro Mining’s Bauxite Hills Mine project moved into the wet season shut down earlier than usual in September 2020 due to the COVID-19 impact and downtrend in commodity prices. But in the December quarter, the mine started working towards maintenance and haulage fleet across the site to resume operations in April 2021. Key land-based activities undertaken during the quarter include maintenance of haul roads and creek crossing, which will accelerate further towards the end of...
The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) of Jamaica commented that in another two months a conclusive decision could be ready on whether Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners II (NJBP II) receives an environmental permit to mine in sections of western St Ann and eastern Trelawny. Since May 2018, the Government of Jamaica has been pondering over the application. The proposal to mine in the SML 173 area, next to the Cockpit Country protected area, has been met with strong pushback from environmental lobbyists, interest groups and individuals. On 27 th January 2021, Peter Knight, CEO, NEPA, explained to the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) that the process has not stalled, as wide consultations continue on the environmental impact assessment report. He...
Lindian Resources, the ASX-listed West African bauxite mining company has finalized the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese giant, China Railway Seventh Group that will build a feasible infrastructure road map to support the development acceleration and kick-start bauxite production of the Perth-based company’s project in Guinea. Lindian said: “Zhengzhou-headquartered China Railway Seventh Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of state-owned construction enterprise China Railway Group Limited which is listed on the Hong Kong and Shanghai stock exchanges, has a proven track record in infrastructure project delivery throughout Africa.” As per the terms of the MoU, both parties will consider towards entering a formal agreement to devise an infrastructure development plan for Lindian’s...
K2fly, a software company headquartered in Perth, Western Australia, servicing the mining and other allied industries have signed a five-year contract for its RCubed Resource Inventory solution with Alcoa USA, one of the world’s largest bauxite miners with mines in Australia, Brazil, Guinea and Saudi Arabia. K2fly offers enterprise-wide technical assurance software to support organisations deliver enhanced environmental, social and governance (ESG) outcomes. The SaaS (Software as a service) contract with Alcoa, valued at $573,600, will see the RCubed Resource Inventory solution roll out to six sites globally initiating in February 2021. A secure cloud-based platform, RCubed, enables mineral resource & reserve governance, compliance and reporting. The platform lowers overhead and upgrades...
On Wednesday, January 20, Alcoa Corporation, the world’s eighth-largest aluminium producer, reported the fourth quarter and full-year results of 2020 that reflect strong operational performance. In Q4 2020, the company produced 12.2 million dry metric tonnes of bauxite compared to 12 million dry metric tonnes in Q3 2020 and 12.1 million dry metric tonnes a year ago. In the entire 2020, Alcoa’s bauxite output stood at 48 million dry metric tonnes, up by 1.27 per cent from 47.4 million dry metric tonnes in 2019. Third-party bauxite shipments in the fourth quarter of the year grew 18.75 per cent quarter-on-quarter and 26.67 per cent year-on-year to 1.9 million dry metric tonnes, bringing the total shipments to 6.5 million dry metric tonnes in 2020 compared to 6.2 million dry metric tonnes...
Rio Tinto, the world's second-largest metals and mining corporation, has reported its full-year and the fourth quarter production results of 2020, revealing that bauxite output in Q4 2020 stood at 13.3 million tonnes. That was up by 12 per cent per cent quarter-on-quarter. Full-year production was 56.1 per cent, increasing by 2 per cent year-on-year due to the ramp-up of the capacity expansion at the CBG mine in Guinea and steady performance at the Pacific mines. Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm said, “We have delivered a strong safety and operational performance in the face of the significant global challenges of COVID-19. Our 2020 performance reflects the resilience of the business, and the commitment and flexibility of our employees, customers, communities and host...
A recent study has unfolded the major environmental oversight failures in the country's bauxite-alumina industry. The multidisciplinary study commissioned by the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), comprises negligence of the state agency in monitoring air and underground water pollution in bauxite mining communities, failure to follow air pollution monitoring guidelines, as well as, weak enforcement of regulatory guidelines stipulated in mining permits. According to Diana McCaulay, Director, JET: “The failures were as a result of insufficient data-gathering efforts by the regulatory body and a delay in the implementation of a regulatory framework for the industry at its inception.” “We found that the regulatory framework for the industry was long delayed. So, although this industry is...
On 16 th January 2021, the AGB2A Company as a part of its development has signed an agreement with its strategic partner Sunda Mining (SD Mining) SA, in presence of the CEO of Axis at Conakry, capital of West African nation Guinea. The agreement spotlights for the exploitation of more than 20 million tonnes of bauxite on the Konyakhouré plateau, located on the license of the company AXIS Mineral Resources S.A., west of the FATALA river. Following the vision of the Guinean authorities, this agreement is part of a major project, of which AGB2A is the promoter, consisting in the pooling of mining infrastructure, and the construction of crossing structures, on both sides of FATALA, in the Boffa Corridor. The primary objective of this project is to proffer more opportunities for the removal of...
According to a report on Thursday, January 14, Metro Mining is planning to recommence its operations at the Bauxite Hills mine project, which was shut for the wet season from mid-September 2020. The operation is expected to resume in April 2021 for deliveries restarting under the existing 7 million tonnes bauxite offtake contract with China's Xinfa Group. Metro Mining witnessed a strong operational performance in early 2020 and thereby a good financial output with cash on hand and other receivables of $45.8 million, as of September 30, 2020. Sales revenue in the September quarter stood at A$61.9 million, generating site EBITDA of A$9.5 million. Bauxite mining in the quarter was 1.062 million wet metric tonnes, while the shipment was 1.23 million wet metric tonnes bringing the year-to-date...
AGB2A, a Guinea based company, which produces one of the best metallurgical grade bauxite for alumina refinery by dry beneficiation process involving crushing and screening of ore. Now the Sino- Guinean consortium is in the eyes of the Guinean justice which ordered, on January 4, 2021, towards the seizure of its operations and cargo. Sékouba Condé, dean of the examining magistrates of the Kaloum Court, in the First Instance struck his hammer hard on the Guinean Alliance (AGB2A ), a Sino-Guinean consortium by ordering the seizure conservatory of the cargo of the vessel Prosper Sunwaito, located at the quay of the port of Boffa and all other quantities of bauxite from the exploitation of the mines of its companies Axis and GBD. The request for protective measures was formulated by the law...
The Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. (BCGI), a subsidiary of RUSAL, as reported is remaining on the discussions stage with the government, following the five months negotiations on a possible restart of operations at its Kurubuka mines in Region 10. Parmanand Persaud, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Natural Resources, said: “BGCI directors are still in discussion with the ministry and there is no indication as to where the talks are heading.” Joseph L.F. Hamilton, Minister of Labour copied the same words as the Ministry of Natural Resources. However, the Minister added: “The Ministry of Natural Resources is handling the talks for the possible restart and his Ministry will step in when operations resume and discuss outstanding labour matters.”
On 1 st January 2021, the Winning Consortium Railway Guinea (WCRG) concluded, the work relating to the assembly of the main structure of the two large stacker-reclaimers of the railway line from Dapilon (Boké) to Santou (Télimélé) in the administrative region of Boké across the locations of the giant mining investors. The assembly process was finalized 15 days before the contractual deadline for the work. This indicates a good start to the construction work of the Dapilon-Santou railway in 2021. According to professionals, “These two stacker-reclaimers were designed and manufactured by the Chinese group Dalian Huarui Heavy Industry (Group for the railroad) Dapilon-Santou in the Republic of Guinea.” However, each reclaimer weighs 1,200 tonnes and stands 30 meters in height. Since the...
The International Aluminium Institute (IAI) announced that Winning International Group has cut ties with the industry body. IAI has updated its member list to 25 members, Reuters reported. Winning International Group, headquartered in Singapore, provides land logistics, maritime logistics, and ocean transportation services of bauxite, alumina, nickel, iron ore and general cargo for clientele around the globe. Currently, the Group is the world’s largest bauxite shipping company. IAI’s members include state-owned Aluminum Corp of China, or Chinalco, Alcoa , Norsk Hydro, Rio Tinto and Rusal . “Winning are no longer members of the IAI,” the body’s London secretariat said. In August, China Hongqiao Group left the International Aluminium Institute within four years of joining the international...
The mining sector of Guinea in 2020 has been able to withstand the COVID-19 pandemic and the electoral crises, which have been declared as a black year for the West African nation. It is the mining sector that has enabled the economy to repress the shocks caused by this unusual health crisis. According to "summary of the activities of the Ministry of Mines and Geology in 2020", the actions carried out in the form of priority objectives set out which delivered results to be attributed to the "five-year action plan 2016- 2020” of the said ministry. As per the documents from the Ministry, there was a greater influx of investors, an intensification of operating activities and better monitoring of activities in the field, without forgetting the fact that the impacts of activities on the...
The data analytics and consulting company, headquartered in London, GlobalData Plc in April’20 reported that bauxite miners generally been unaffected, with the major producing countries of Australia, Guinea and Brazil were yet to announce the closure of mines at that time and mines in China have almost resumed operations to pre-Covid-19 lockdown levels. In Australia, several states have imposed a ban on workers travelling from interstate unless they are critical, and this has led to many miners housing as many of their FIFO workers as possible onsite. In India, another major producer of bauxite kept it exempt from the country’s first phase of 21-day COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. However, in August’20, Globadata reported that the global bauxite mine production hardly to get effected by the...
