Sydney, Australia (ABN Newswire) - Australian Bauxite Limited (ASX:ABX) (ABx) is selling bauxite into fertiliser and cement markets at prices higher than the currently over-supplied metallurgical bauxite market. ABx's maiden shipment of 5,557 tonnes occurred on 28 April and a second sale of 5,000 tonnes was announced on 31 May.

ABx is pleased to announce it has concluded a large new sale contract for 35,000 tonnes of bauxite from ABx's Bald Hill mine - the first new bauxite project in Australia for more than 35 years. This sale replaces the second 5,000 tonne sale and payment is to be within 7 days. Shipping dates are to be organised to suit the customer's requirements in due course.

The sale price is satisfactorily profitable and commercial-in-confidence.

Two other small-tonnage sales of fertiliser grade bauxite have been concluded for August and December at similarly profitable prices.

New Customers In Discussions & Signs of Growth ABx is preparing two joint offers with its more experienced marketing partner, RawMin to jointly ship large tonnages into both the Middle East and European markets for up to five years.

ABx has also been approached for samples of cement-grade bauxite from several international customers.

ABx's CEO Ian Levy commented; "This is a great way to end the financial year and we have more positive developments emerging over the coming few months.

"Cement-grade and fertiliser-grade demand is strong and growing but we endured 8 months of negative trends in the aluminium-related metallurgical bauxite markets until recently. Over the last 5 weeks, several customers have approached ABx seeking metallurgical-grade bauxite in significant tonnages.

"In response to these early signs of a strengthening market, ABx has increased its testing of the TasTech technology that separates ABx's bauxite into 3 products: metallurgical-grade, cement-grade and fertiliser-grade bauxite. Once the robustness of TasTech technology is confirmed, ABx will commence large-scale field trials."

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About Australian Bauxite Limited:

Australian Bauxite Limited (ABx) has started its first bauxite mine in Tasmania and holds the core of the Eastern Australian Bauxite Province. ABx’s 37 bauxite tenements in Queensland, New South Wales & Tasmania exceed 5,000 km2 and were rigorously selected for (1) good quality bauxite; (2) near infrastructure connected to export ports; & (3) free of socio-environmental constraints. All tenements are 100% owned, unencumbered & free of third-party royalties.

ABx’s discovery rate is increasing as knowledge, technology & expertise grows.

The Company’s bauxite is high quality gibbsite trihydrate (THA) bauxite & can be processed into alumina at low temperature.

ABx has declared large Mineral Resources at Inverell & Guyra in northern NSW, Taralga in southern NSW, Binjour in central QLD & in Tasmania confirming that ABx has discovered significant bauxite deposits including some of outstandingly high quality.

In Tasmania, at Bald Hill, the Company’s first bauxite mine commenced operations on schedule on 9 December 2014 – the first new Australian bauxite mine for more than 35 years.

ABx aspires to identify large bauxite resources in the Eastern Australian Bauxite Province, which is emerging as a globally significant bauxite province. ABx has created significant bauxite developments in 3 states - Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania. Its bauxite deposits are favourably located for direct shipping of bauxite to both local and export customers.

ABx endorses best practices on agricultural land, strives to leave land and environment better than we find it. We only operate where welcomed.



Source:

Australian Bauxite Limited



Contact:

Ian Levy
CEO and MD
Australian Bauxite Limited 
T: +61-2-9251-7177