New bauxite find excites

THE region’s mineral boom continues, with the announcement that bauxite has been found at Guyra. Australian Bauxite chief executive officer Ian Levy said the recent find was the second discovery of the mineral, otherwise known as aluminium ore, in the area around Guyra and Inverell.
The recent discovery was made after techniques used to uncover the mineral in the Inverell area were used at sites in Guyra, where it was believed bauxite might be hidden under a cover layer of clay.
Mr Levy said that while the discovery of the bauxite was exciting, it was purely a discovery at this point.
“A lot more work has to be done before the real potential of the site is known,” he said.
“Logistically bauxite is hard to transport.
“Before we can head in to a full-scale exploration situation, we would need to find a way of reducing costs of transporting the bauxite, or find someone willing to pay a higher price to help cover that cost.”
He also wished to allay concerns some residents in the area may have about mining bauxite.
“We really are the poor country cousins of coal mining,” Mr Levy said.
“It would be like comparing a Holden ute with a 400-tonne mining excavator.
“The way we mine is similar to the way a quarry works and is not far from what a farmer would do to build a new road.”
Mr Levy said bauxite exploration had been in the area for a long time.
“The government began bauxite exploration in the Inverell area during the end of World War II,” Mr Levy said.
“We (Australian Bauxite) picked it up in 2008 and started looking in the area again in 2009.”
He said the discovery had the potential to bring a lot of money to the Guyra region over a long period of time.
“Licences for bauxite are usually granted for up to 60 years,” he said.