China, the leading alumina and aluminium producer, heavily relies on imported bauxite, which surged to 57 per cent in 2024, owing to declining domestic ore grades and export restrictions from Indonesia. The country is thus prompted towards an urgent search for nearer-sourced supplies. Australia’s Metro Mining has reportedly seized this moment, with an urge for optimising production at its Bauxite Hills Mine in Queensland, and having ramped capacity up to 7 million tonnes per annum in H2 2024 and shipping 184,000 wet metric tonnes (WMT) in Q1 2025 to satisfy Chinese demand. Backed by long-term supply agreements totalling 6.9 million tonnes in 2025 and 6.1 million tonnes in 2026 with major Chinese partners, the company stands at a sub-USD 30 per dry tonne delivered cost target and a powerful AUD 307 million 2024 revenue performance with underlying EBITDA doubling to AUD 37 million.
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China’s evident bauxite crunch
China’s domestic bauxite resources have been on a steady decline, with grades deteriorating and output failing to keep pace with burgeoning aluminium demand. According to the Shanghai Metals Market report, in January-December 2024, China imported a total of 158.767 million tonnes of bauxite, up 12.3 per cent Y-o-Y, up from just 2.8 per cent in 2002, with a clear indication of the nation’s susceptibility in its raw material supply chain. China’s prior reliance on bauxite lay with exporters such as Indonesia, who have in the recent past restricted shipments following its nickel ore ban in 2020, heightening the scramble for reliable sources. Australia, which holds roughly 16 per cent of global bauxite reserves, has stepped into this breach, with investors projecting the bauxite mining market to grow at a CAGR of 6.6 per cent to USD 32.3 billion by 2033.
Metro Mining’s swift ramp-up
Metro Mining has put all its force on ramping up output at its flagship Bauxite Hills operation in Cape York, Queensland. CEO Simon Wensley noted rich run rates in the final quarter of 2024.
“This will be the first year where we’ve really had that full expansion available to us all through the year,” he says, adding, “So this year’s plan is around 6.5 to 7 million tonnes.”
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