Australian Bauxite hits bauxite

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Emerging ASX-listed bauxite exploration and development play Australian Bauxite has received results back from the laboratory from drilling at its Guyra project in New South Wales.

Sixty-three holes intersected a thick layer of bauxite located beneath a thin clay horizon, including some exceptionally high grade, thick gibbsite bauxite.

“This is our 2nd discovery of premium quality bauxite concealed under a thin clay layer,” Australian Bauxite chief executive officer Ian Levy said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“We hope to find a lot more. We may be able to sell large tonnages to bauxite-alumina refineries needing “sweetener” bauxite that processes at low temperature and has very low reactive silica contents.

“We’ve called this bauxite type “Brown Sugar” bauxite – sweet and greatly sought after. It may become a brand name in the industry one day.

“Being next to rail may help the Inverell-Guyra project get started early.”

Australia Bauxite said the best part of the bauxite discovered to date is location, which is immediately adjacent the standard gauge rail line connecting Guyra to Armidale, Werris Creek and then to the heavy-duty rail to Newcastle minerals export port.

Operations of the Guyra-Armidale rail has recently been suspended but the rail line is still in good condition, having recently been used for transportation of logging products.

A Review of Environmental Factors (REF) has been submitted to the Department of Industry and

Investment and is currently under consideration.

The company is hopeful good continuity of bauxite qualities and thickness in places may lead to a maiden resource estimation, albeit based on only partial drilling of deposit zones that are still open and likely to be extended in coming months.

The company said the bauxite deposit is open in many locations and many other deposits have been identified.

Follow-up drilling of the Guyra discovery is being scheduled over the coming months in line with the REF.