Alcoa of Australia’s first shipment of WA Bauxite bound for China

ALCOA of Australia has celebrated its first shipment of WA bauxite as part of an export trial approved last year by the State Government.

The 47,000 tonne parcel of bauxite is bound for an alumina refinery in China.

Perth-based Alcoa Mining president Garret Dixon said the milestone shipment supported the company’s strategy to grow its third-party bauxite business and complements its mining activities which supply bauxite to its WA alumina refineries.

Mr Dixon said Alcoa operated the world’s largest integrated bauxite and refining system in WA.

“Over 53 years we have established sustainable mining practices to feed our three alumina refineries at Kwinana, Pinjarra and Wagerup,” he said.

“Bauxite exports provide the chance to strengthen our business by creating an additional revenue stream.

“They will help optimise the value of our Darling Range mineral lease for the company and the State without impacting the life of our WA refineries.”

The bauxite shipment marks another important step in Alcoa’s global strategy to increase its share of the growing third-party bauxite sales market.

In April, US-based Alcoa Inc announced it had signed multiple supply contracts valued at more than $350 million over the next two years for bauxite sourced from three of its mines in Guinea and Brazil.