Large volume of commercially viable bauxite deposits found in west Rennell island

More than 26 million tonnes of commercially viable bauxite deposits were found in west Rennell island in the in the Solomon Islands.

Asia Pacific Investment and Development Limited (APID) revealed this in an environmental report produced after it carried out prospecting on the site.

APID is a joint venture company between foreigners and some locals, which is registered here.

The company recently submitted its application for a mining licence to the Ministry of Mines and Energy to extract the minerals on west Rennell.

It said its finding was confirmation of a discovery of bauxite deposits in west Rennell by Mitsui Mining and Smelting Company of Japan in the 1970s.

Bauxite is a mineral bearing rock named for the region in France where it was first identified. One of the key components of bauxite is aluminum oxides, which can be processed to make aluminum products.

APID said in its application that if granted a mining licence, they will carry out a simple mining method that will be harmless to the environment.

“The method proposed for the mining of the bauxite is a simple one and does not involve high or sophisticated technology,” it said in its report to the ministry.

“It involves clearing the bauxite pockets of vegetation and digging the bauxite ore (soil) and transporting them to a base, drying them and loading them to ocean going vessels using barges.

“The ore is then taken to overseas smelters where it is processed into the required alumina product,” the company said.

It added all of its overseas analysis of the bauxite ore by various overseas smelters have proven a very high content of bauxite in the samples which now give it the urge to proceed on to a commercial mining operation, given the economic circumstances of the country right now.

According to the company APID has already advance negotiations with the landowners who have already signed on to the development of the resource and they have also urged APID to speed up work on the development of the mine.

“Since the mining technique and methods is so simple, APID is ready to proceed with mining immediately following finalization of relevant agreements.

APID said it will devise mitigation measures in its Environmental Management Plan.

“That includes prime focus on the operations on most western end of the island Mining to limit potential influences to the East Rennell WHS, all mining pockets will be progressively rehabilitated and re-vegetated, and Environmental Management Plan will be formulated to take of all issues.

“Waste Management Plan will be formulated for waste management, water Management strategies, Traffic Management Plan and APID will assist in implementation of WHS Management Plan such as assist in eradication of invasive species or taro nematode problems.”

The company claimed their assessment has found that the mining operation will be a clean and sustainable operation following mining industry standards as it involves simple mining techniques (conventional strip mining).

According to The Sunday Star sources, an Indonesian mining firm is also eying the Rennell deposit.

Bintang Borneo Mining Company, which already has a prospecting licence, was last month granted a business licence to operate on Renbel.