Metro Mining has resumed work at its Bauxite Hills mine in Cape York, North Queensland, after finishing maintenance carried out during the wet season shutdown.

During the break, crews serviced equipment and inspected key facilities across the site. This included the mining fleet as well as the pontoon and barge loading systems used to move bauxite from the operation.

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Mining has now restarted, with early activities focused on pre-stripping, grade control and road upkeep. Some ore is already ready for export. Around 20,000 wet metric tonnes (WMT) of bauxite have been placed on barges, while about 150,000 WMT remain in stockpiles at the mine. These stocks will support the first shipments as exports gradually resume. 

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For 2026, Metro Mining expects total shipments of 6.6–7.1 million WMT, with shipping likely to pick up from mid-March as site activity returns to normal after the seasonal pause.

Looking ahead, Metro Mining aims to prioritise offtake agreements and long-term freight contracts in the second quarter of 2026, with freight deals expected to include fixed charter and bunker fuel rates.

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Meanwhile, the company is upgrading the Ikamba drydock facility, which is around 40 per cent complete, with required structural and safety inspections already finished.  Current refurbishment work includes replacing the slew bearing on Crane No. 2, installing the luffing cylinder and gearbox, conducting hull blasting and painting, and repairing the winch system. Ikamba is expected to leave the shipyard later this month and return to service at the mine before the end of April.