Bauxite Boom in Cape York
An operator stands next to plant machinery on a bauxite plateau at Rio’s Amrun project, Far North QLD. Image: Rio Tinto. BY CAMERON DRUMMOND GROWING Chinese demand is driving big investment into the bauxite-rich northwest tip of the Cape York Peninsula, with almost 30mtpa of extra supply due to come online by the end of 2019. An estimated 53 per cent of Australia’s vast bauxite resources come from the Cape York Peninsula in Far North QLD. The region’s operating bauxite mines are known for their high quality ore; determined not just by the aluminium content, but also by minerals such as iron oxides and titanium oxides, as well as the low amount of reactive silica which reduces processing costs. The…