ABX ships 32,000 tonnes of cement-grade bauxite to Bald Hill, Tasmania

• Australian Bauxite Limited has finalised a 32,477 tonne shipment of cement-grade bauxite.
• Testing is being done on samples to see if it can be refined to Aluminium Fluoride.
• The Tasmanian project will slow down and Queensland projects will speed up as weather changes.

Australian Bauxite Limited has announced the finalisation of a 32,477 tonne shipment of cement-grade bauxite. The amount ready for shipment fell into the top range of ABX’s target, between 30,000 and 33,000 tonnes. Departing from ABX’s Bald Hill site in Tasmania.

The company said ‘due to favourable foreign exchange rates, negotiations for new shipments are underway. While shipments for fertiliser-grade bauxite have exceeded ABx’s initial expectations.’

The fertiliser-grade bauxite is said to have clean chemistry, making it favourable for acid-processing and the production of high-quality fertiliser, according to ABX. A bauxite refining technology, introduced through the company’s subsidiary Alcore, utilises the acid-processing performance.

The cap on ship sizes in Tasmanian ports are being investigated with ABX hoping to see an increase to 75,000 tonnes. ABX has said the increase will be crucial for Tasmanian exporters, allowing them to take on larger shipments.

ABX has said due to improvements during the Bald Hill operation, in conjunction with Hazell Bros, it was able to achieve mining and screen production results before its target date.

According to ABX, the trucks delivering the shipment made the delivery weeks before the scheduled pick up, as all departments worked ahead of targets.

A permanent stockpile location has been secured by ABX at Bell Bay Port, Tasmania through work with TasPorts.

Refinery-grade fertiliser from Alcore is set to be sampled at its research centre, located in Berkley Vale, NSW. Several tonnes of samples will be tested to evaluate the success of refining them to Aluminium Fluoride.

ABX announced it is currently working on rehabilitation in Tasmania, reforming land surfaces as the pasture seeding season approaches. However, there are concerns regarding the drought Tasmania is facing.

There is a shift in focus to ABX’s Binjour Project in Queensland as April to November provide optimal conditions for production during the dry season. The Tasmanian bauxite mines are optimal during the Summer months from November to May, so production here will slow down.

Additionally, ABX has a marketing partnership with mining company Rawmin India. Work on the bauxite mine located in the North-West of India will be halted during monsoon season from June to September.

Please see the ASX announcement for further details.