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 German association of the aluminium industry (GDA) had pointed out in August 2018 that the development of business activity in the German aluminium sector until then remained positive. The production reportedly increased in the first half of the year – up 0.9 per cent by aluminium producers and 0.4 per cent by semis-producers. So, the overall expectations for 2018 were hopeful. GDA’s executive director Christian Wellner particularly explained: “Despite political uncertainties, the German economy has developed well so far this year. On top of these favourable general conditions, there are the positive economic forecasts for aluminium, which are pointing upwards for nearly all product sectors in Germany and the rest of Europe.” This indicates that the country imports a significant...
According to a recent report, Konecranes, the leading manufacturer of crane and lifting equipment, has won orders for two Gottwald Model 8 floating cranes from COSCO Shipping Bulk Co. COSCO Shipping Bulk is a subsidiary of COSCO, the third largest shipping company to handle bulk cargo. Per the report, Konecranes’ Gottwald cranes will tranship bauxite for COSCO from river barges onto ocean-going Panamax vessels on the open sea. They are specially designed in accordance with Lloyd’s Register Code for Lifting Appliances in a Marine Environment, so as to operate at wind speed up to 24 metres per second and maximum wave heights of 2.5 metres. ZhiJun Fan, General Manager of Technical Division of COSCO, commented: “We will operate the two floating cranes within the framework of our cooperation...
Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung urged the Vietnam National Coal-Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited (Vinacomin) to improve the efficiency of its bauxite projects and pay attention to environmental protection and promote local socio-economic development, Vietnam News reports. Trinh Dinh Dung asked Vinacomin to ensure enough supply of coal for socio-economic development. He also called on the company to improve quality of coal and protect the environment. It is estimated that the company will require 58 million tonnes of coal for power generation in 2019, 90 million tonnes in 2025 and 130 million tonnes in 2030. Dang Thanh Hai, General Director of Vinacomin, said that the company will renovate production technology, strengthen automation to ensure labour safety, increase...
Fitch Solutions Macro Research study shows that in spite of a positive outlook for India’s bauxite mining industry, tightening environmental regulations and tribal tensions may pose downside risks by slowing new projects. Nevertheless, the study also indicates that India’s bauxite output growth will accelerate to serve growing demand from the domestic aluminium industry. Fitch Solutions said in its report, "We forecast Indian bauxite production to grow from 30.9 million tonnes in 2018 to 50.7 million tonnes by 2027....tightening environmental regulations and tribal tensions pose downside risks..." In February last year, the Odisha government had approved long-term linkage (LTL) policy for bauxite. The state cabinet had also approved the amendment of the LTL policy to specify detailed...
The Malaysian government has once again reportedly decided to extend the moratorium until March 31, 2019, and thus, the wait continues for bauxite mining and export activities in Pahang. The Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry announced that this extension of moratorium followed an agreement between its Minister Dr. Xavier Jayakumar and Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail. Datuk Md Sohaimi Mohamed Shah, Sungai Lembing assemblyman, said that he was hopeful about the government allowing mining activities to resume after the finalisation of the new set of standard operating procedures (SOP). He further said a huge mining site in Bukit Goh and many other areas left unattended since the moratorium began in January 2016. He also said when contacted today “There seems to...
A cyclone is expected to hit the north coast of Australia’s Queensland state Weipa on Tuesday and affect Rio Tinto’s Weipa bauxite mine while disrupting shipping, reported the weather bureau. The Port of Weipa, which handles Rio’s bauxite mine as well as general cargo, remained shut for the third day today as Cyclone Penny moved towards it across the Gulf of Carpentaria. Captain Michael Barnett, harbourmaster for the Cairns region, told Reuters by telephone that the port was expected to reopen on Thursday, January 3. Two bulk carriers for bauxite export were moved into the Gulf for safety and thus, not in danger. Rio Tinto ships 30 million tonnes of bauxite annually from Weipa, catering international customers as well as alumina refineries in Gladstone, Queensland. "We are monitoring the...
Metro Mining Ltd has achieved its production guidance for 2018 and has shipped 2,037,106 Wet Metric Tonnes (WMT) from its Bauxite Hills mine. The 33rd and final vessel for 2018, MV Sadlers Wells, completed loading on the 28 December and has departed for China. Despite suspending ship loading activities due to weather impacts from ex Tropical Cyclone Owen in the third week of December, approximately 220,000WMT of bauxite was loaded this month. Metro has also decided to transition to Owner/Operator for the mining operation, and as a result it has terminated the Mining Services Agreement with SAB Mining. Given that mining and shipping is complete for 2018, and will recommence in April 2019,Metro expects no disruptions to operational activities from this change and has already begun...
The bauxite market in the year 2018 had been found following a steady pace. There were some developments and expansions on existing mines, while some notable deals and new projects crossed the path across the world. The price in the China market also displayed steadfast growth throughout the year, with some short restraints and intermediate drops. In fact, Shanghai Metals Market had anticipated in July that bauxite would gain in the near term as more regulations on open-cut mining were put forward. Most bauxite mines in Shanxi and Henan provinces adopted opencast mining, SMM learned. Read through the article to know more about the developments and updates in the bauxite industry over the year. Bauxite price trend The bauxite price in China started at RMB 380 per tonne at the beginning of...
The Windalco bauxite plant in Ewarton, St. Catherine, is reportedly witnessing a growing tension between its management and the production workers over outstanding retroactive salary payments. The workers, represented by the Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees (UCASE), even staged a two-hour-sick-out on Thursday morning, December 27. At the protest meeting, Garth Cheese, UCASE Chief Union delegate at the Ewarton refinery, reminded all about the payment rule which was introduced by the Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT). The rule was employees should get payments in line with production targets. He also reminded that after the introduction of this rule the company had informed its staffs that it would give out US$ 18,000 of lump sum payment. However, the workers...
According to Shanghai Metals Market, prices of bauxite remained high as of Tuesday, December 25, buoyed by winter stockpiling across alumina producers amidst growing bauxite supplies after the output resumption at some miners in Shanxi and Henan. As of December 25, bauxite with alumina/silica ratio of 7 was offered up to RMB 700 per tonne, ex-works, in Shanxi, while materials with alumina/silica ratio of 5 were offered up to RMB 560 per tonne, ex-works, SMM learned. Owing to looser environmental restrictions compared to the previous year, miners in Shanxi and Henan with production licences recovered output from late November, which in turn, eased shortages of bauxite. According to another update from SMM, China’s largest state aluminium producer Chinalco has put one of its roasting...
Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, MP for Juaboso and Deputy Minister for Lands and Resources, is pleading with the government to save the Atewa Forest from destruction as China’s Sinohydro Corporation prepares to build roads under the $2 billion bauxite barter deal, according to a report by MyJoyOnline. Parliament earlier this month approved agreements for the first phase of construction projects worth $640m. Construction projects are expected to commence next month. Parliament approved a $2 billion bauxite-for-infrastructure barter arrangement between the government of Ghana and Sinohydro Corporation. The agreement will allow the company to have rights on a fraction of Ghana’s bauxite resources in exchange of the country’s infrastructural development. The company will fund infrastructure projects,...
According to a report, Aurum Exploration (Fiji) Limited is eyeing to resume bauxite shipment in the first half of 2019. It is thus, looking for options in terms of securing buyers for its bauxite resource. In an interview, the Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Ashneel Sudhakar said operations have temporarily ceased at Naivigiri in Bua, due to a lull in bauxite export. The Minister also said that potential buyers are umpteen but the catalyst for finalising a bauxite sale is the quality. Hence, the company is reportedly taking steps to improve its bauxite beneficiation facility efficiency which should result in an improved economic value of bauxite. The target is to secure a buyer and resume bauxite shipment in the first half of 2019. He, however, explained, “there is no global...
Vasco locals have reportedly demanded strict action against the trucks transporting bauxite ore because of increasing dust pollution in the town. They have even threatened to hit the streets themselves in case they are not heard and the situation continues to prevail. The locals claim that the bauxite ore transportation by MPT has not benefitted them in any possible way but has created nuisance instead. Besides dust pollution, traffic chaos is another reason why Vasco locals are demanding for an immediate action against the bauxite ore transportation. A local says the bauxite ore is transported through the MPT to Karnataka and this is causing nuisance in the port town. Councillor Krishna Daji Salkar says he has already requested the Chief Officer to look into the matter take action...
According to the latest USGS release on Bauxite and Alumina in the Third Quarter 2018, imports of crude and dried bauxite by the U.S. in Q3 2018 were 922,000 tonnes, slightly more than the revised total in the second quarter of 2018 and the third quarter of 2017. Imports of crude and dried bauxite in the second quarter of 2018 and the third quarter of 2017 were 911,000 tonnes and 914,000 tonnes respectively. Jamaica (73%) and Brazil (18%) were the leading sources of crude and dried bauxite imports in the third quarter of 2018. For the period of three quarters from January to September 2018, the total U.S. import of bauxite stood at 2.46 million tonnes, down 60000 tonnes from 2.52 million during January to September 2017. For the full year 2017, the U.S. imported 3.43 million tonnes of...
Ghana President Akufo Addo has assured his countrymen that the infrastructure deal with China in lieu of bauxite does not mean a compromise with Ghana’s sovereignty. He considers it to be a pure business transaction and the Asian giant is not going to take over various sectors of Ghan’s economy. The President said to the media on Wednesday, 19 December: “I’m aware about some anxiety among some people that we might be putting ourselves in a position of too much dependency on China. I am determined that we should use what opportunities that there are to raise ourselves out of poverty but there is no chance that I will ever preside over the loss of Ghana’s sovereignty to any foreign country.” The President has also assured that it will help Ghana to exit from the IMF programme successfully....
Balco’s Mainpat Bauxite Mines under Sarguja district has reportedly celebrated Annual Safety Function with a lot of grandeur. Besides participating in multiple activities like quiz, drawing, planting trees, and essay writing, Balco officers, employees, and contract workers took an oath to adopt a safe working style and to make Mines an accident free area. Director General of Mines Safety, Raigarh, Saifulla Ansari was present in the function as a Chief Guest. Amit Chauhan, Programme Coordinator from Shree Cement Limestone Mines; Milind Shore, Mines Manager Hirmi Dolomite Mines; and Naresh Kumar Vishisth, Engineer, N.M.D.C Kirandul Mines, were also present in the programme as guests. Rajesh Mishra, Head- Balco Bauxite Mines; Pramod Ranjan, Head-HSE, Mines, Balco; and Ajay Tewari, Head –...
Above a month after identifying a cluster of high-grade, low-containment bauxite within the existing resource at Minim Martap Project in November, Canyon Resources Limited has now reportedly started initial aircore drilling and exploration campaign at the site. Canyon’s own aircore drill rig and a team of experienced personnel are at the used for conducting the first phase of drilling in the northwest quadrant of the Minim Martap licence area. The program will target the previously drilled Beatrice, Agnes, and Raymonde plateaux as well as adjacent plateaux within the prospective northeast-southwest-oriented high-grade bauxite plateau corridor. Per the report, Canyon’s chairman David Netherway, managing director Phillip Gallagher, and advisor Tolga Kumova recently visited the site to...
Marcventures Holdings, Inc. reported that the company’s Bauxite Mining Project in 6 municipalities of Western Samar contains 73.2 million Wet Metric Tonnes (WMT) of measured and indicated resources of bauxite. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Marcventures said the deposit could last for about 20 years mine life at 4.0 million WMT yearly. Supply deficits of bauxite are expected due to increasing use of aluminium for electric cars and other transportation equipment, cladding for electric batteries, aerospace, construction and even defense applications. The properties which contained the bauxite ores were obtained when Marcventures merged with Asia Pilot Mining Philippines Corporation resulting to Marcventures’ acquisition of 100% of the outstanding shares of Alumina Mining...
