Metro Mining (ASX:MMI) is on track to meet its 6.5 to 7-million-wet-metric-tonne (WMT) target for shipments of bauxite for 2025.
The company’s Bauxite Hills operation in Queensland shipped 424,730 WMT in April, which marks a record and is 12.2% higher over the same month of 2024.
Metro shipped 340,906 WMT of bauxite last month and in the first four months of the year has shipped a total of 609,000 WMT.
This follows the restart of shipments in March. Metro continued to remobilise into the beginning of April following heavy rain and storm activity that persisted into the start of the month.
Metro says safety and environmental considerations dictated a conservative operational approach until about mid-month.
Ramp-up was then affected by three-day full demobilisation of assets due to Cyclone Alfred, which prompted the closure of other mine sites across Queensland.
With Cyclone Alfred downgraded to a tropical low, operations were restarted quickly.
Metro says planned weather days were met and the offshore floating terminal, Ikamba, further demonstrated its ability to operate in challenging weather conditions.
In a recent interview with Mining.com.au, CEO Simon Wensley said 2025 will be the first year Metro has had the full expansion to 7 million tonnes available to the company.
According to Wensley, the recently completed expansion puts Metro on a pathway to becoming the lowest global delivered cost supplier to China, particularly after the company negotiated lower contract freight of around US$3 ($4.63) a tonne for the next three years.
Metro has locked down 6.9 million WMT of offtake contracts for this year, expanding its customer base to include the Aluminum Corporation of China (HKG:2600) and Emirates Global Aluminium.
The company also has supply contracts in place with China’s Shandong Xinfa Aluminum and Shandong Lubei Chemcal (SSE:600727).
The focus now for Metro is on debottlenecking operations to increase production and shipments to 8 million tonnes, as well as reigniting exploration to identify new resources.
Write to Angela East at Mining.com.au
Images: Metro Mining
