Binjour Bauxite Project Update
Sydney, June 13, 2012 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Emerging bauxite exploration and development company, Australian Bauxite Limited (
ASX:ABZ) has received laboratory and exploration results from drilling and surface exploration at its Binjour Bauxite Project in central QLD (see Figure 1).
133 holes drilled in 2012 have intersected a thick layer of bauxite located beneath a surface clay horizon, including some exceptionally high grade, thick gibbsite bauxite, ideal as a "sweetener" to any bauxite refinery. Complete results are listed in the Appendix and averaged in Table 1 as follows:
Australian Bauxite CEO Ian Levy said; "Binjour hosts a fine bauxite deposit, containing premium grade bauxite. It is very exciting to discover the southern half of the large Binjour plateau with bauxite lying right at surface.
"The Binjour Bauxite Project is destined to sell large tonnages of bauxite to alumina refineries needing "sweetener" bauxite that processes at low temperature and with low reactive silica contents.
"We call this "Brown Sugar" bauxite - sweet and greatly sort after. It will become a brand name."
South Binjour Bauxite Plateau Discovered
The South Binjour Bauxite Plateau has been secured by exploration permit application EPMA 19742 as shown in Figure 2 below. This prospect lies immediately south of the Binjour Bauxite Plateau across the Burnett River and contains bauxite at surface.
Bauxite at Surface on South Binjour Plateau
ABx has developed non-invasive sampling methods using a hand held XRF device, based on proprietary protocols developed by ABx. The following results come from analyses based on this method, which correlates laboratory obtained bauxite assays with the XRF field results. (Sample locations are shown on Figure 2).
Logistical Setting
In addition to the sealed Burnett Highway, a disused rail line sits at the southern end of the Binjour lease which requires significant upgrading. Engineering studies and government discussions have been underway for several months to find a cost-effective solution. The Binjour Bauxite Project is near regional cities, power, water and a pro-development workforce.
Resource Estimation Underway
Good continuity of bauxite qualities and thickness on Swains Plateau led to a maiden resource estimation of 16.8 million tonnes in October 20114. The extent of bauxite has been extended by drilling during 2012 and, subject to further laboratory results, a resource upgrade has commenced.
To view the complete Australian Bauxite announcement including Tables, Figures and Appendix: Bauxite Intercepts at Binjour, please click the following link below:
http://media.abnnewswire.net/media/en/docs/ASX-ABZ-682095.pdf
About ABx Group Limited
ABx Group Limited (ABx) (ASX:ABX) started as a bauxite miner in Tasmania in 2014 & controls the Eastern Australian Bauxite Province. In 2020 to 2023, ABx also discovered Australia’s only true ionic adsorption clay Rare Earth Elements resource at Deep Leads in pine plantations 40km west of Launceston with a JORC-compliant resource of 89 million tonnes from only 29% of the mineralised outline, averaging 844 ppm total rare earth oxides that is the most enriched in the critically important rare earths, Dy and Tb, of any Australian REE deposit.
ABx has also developed a proprietary technology to produce fluorine chemicals from an aluminium smelter waste product and return the fluorine back into the smelters, thus reducing reliance on imported aluminium fluoride.
ABx has committed a large proportion of its expenditure into Research and Development and has found ways to capitalise on the main strengths of its bauxite type which is very clean, free of all deleterious elements and can be separated into different product streams using physical, chemical and geophysical methods. It has produced and marketed specialist bauxite products for the manufacturers of fertiliser, cement with high late strength for major infrastructure such as bridges and is in the advanced stages of approvals for production of metallurgical bauxite from its Binjour Bauxite deposit with JORC-compliant resources of 37 million tonnes of bauxite, in a joint development with a Chinese-focussed Australian trading company Good Importing International.
ABx is also preparing to produce fertiliser grade and cement grade bauxite from its DL130 bauxite quarry in northern Tasmania, 40km west of Launceston. This quarry is sited in the middle of the large Deep Leads REE deposit and may one day be a site for heap leaching of the REE using a low-cost, benign leachate with the same acidity as apple juice or tea.
ABx endorses best practices on agricultural land, strives to leave land and environment better than we find it. We only operate where welcomed.
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