Australia’s Metro Mining Ltd. released production totals for the month of August yesterday. Though shipping totals fell slightly, the firm reported a 7 percent increase of bauxite mined in the month.
Last month saw Metro mine 476 thousand wet metric tons (WMT) of bauxite, up from July’s total of 443 thousand WMT, averaging a per-day tonnage of 15,356 WMT. The firm’s quarter-to-date total came to 919 thousand WMT, making the year-to-date total 1.818 million WMT.
Metro shipped 455 thousand WMT in the month of August, off from the prior month’s total of 463 thousand WMT and averaging out at a per-day total of 14,689 WMT. For the quarter to date, Metro shipped 918 thousand WMT, bringing the total year-to-date of shipped bauxite to 1.754 million WMT.
Metro credits the improved mining numbers and the comparable shipping numbers in the month to improvements in haulage, transshipment, and screening processes, allowing the company’s operational performance to sustain an already-high standard.
Per the firm, the team at the Bauxite Hills mine will continue to turn in a strong performance, as it is currently operating at above-budgeted levels.
Simon Finnis, Metro Mining’s managing director and CEO, lauded workers at Bauxite Hills for maintaining a high standard of output in the month.
“The mining and shipping results continue to be pleasing and reflect the dedication and hard work of the entire on–site team. It is a credit to them that we’re maintaining our recent strong results, building on our operating experience and the improved work systems which have enhanced our productivity.”
“The mine is ideally placed to maintain current levels for the remainder of the operating year and is on track to meet production and shipping guidance of 3.3-3.5M WMT for 2019,” he concluded.
Metro Mining is based in Brisbane, and began life when it was spun off from Cape Alumina Ltd. upon its takeover by MetroCoal Ltd in 2014. The firm has exploration rights in over 500 square miles of western Cape York, which is second to only Rio Tinto Alcan.