Western Yilgarn eyes maiden resource at Julimar Bauxite project

Western Yilgarn starts resource estimation work to confirm Julimar West as an advanced, strategically located bauxite project.

The company says the project also has gallium potential it plans to investigate in future. Pic: Getty Images

Special Report: Western Yilgarn is gearing up to unlock the bauxite potential at its Julimar West project in WA, with work underway to prepare a maiden resource estimate based on work by previous explorers.

• Western Yilgarn starts maiden resource estimation work at Julimar West
• Resource will be based on work by previous explorers like Hancock Prospecting and Rio Tinto
• The project could potentially host an economic bauxite resource to supply alumina refineries

This past exploration – including by big miners Hancock Prospecting and Rio Tinto – targeted bauxite mineralisation through surface sampling, drilling, metallurgical test work and scoping studies. 

Notably, Western Yilgarn’s (ASX:WYX) exploration licence 70/5111 covers parts of the Darling Range which the Geological Survey of Western Australia has delineated as “a clearly defined area in which economic bauxite mineralisation is concentrated”. 

And the bauxite in the region is based on gibbsite, an important ore of aluminium highly sought after by alumina refineries because it can be processed in a conventional Bayer Process refinery at low temperatures, low pressures and with low caustic soda consumption, translating to significantly lower processing costs.  

This means the project has the potential to host an economic bauxite resource of sufficient size and quality to support a medium to large scale operation supplying bauxite for seaborne export to established alumina refineries. 

There’s also gallium potential too, which is a strategic mineral commonly used in semi-conductors and is usually associated with bauxite deposits. 

Potentially an advanced bauxite project

While there is no certainty this work could lead to an economically recoverable bauxite resource estimate, the company says the project has the potential to provide the company with immediate access to an advanced bauxite project in an established and globally recognised bauxite region.

It comes as supply tightness and rising Chinese demand sending bauxite prices to record highs, with the commodity now fetching more on the spot market than iron ore.

That makes preparing a resource based on previous exploration efforts a no-brainer.

This work will include the collection and assessment of all available geological, drill, sample and metallurgical test work data, with over 5765 aircore and vacuum drill holes totalling 32,405m secured to date.

“We are very pleased to recommence activities at the Julimar West bauxite project, particularly given the potentially large-scale nature of the bauxite mineralisation, bauxite prices hitting new record highs and current global supply constraints for bauxite,” WYX chairman Peter Lewis said. 

“This represents an opportunity for Western Yilgarn to leverage the fact that we potentially have a significant bauxite project within the globally recognised Darling Range bauxite region in Western Australia.”

In future exploration programs, the company will assess the potential for economic concentrations of gallium. 

This article was developed in collaboration with Western Yilgarn, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing. 

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.