Australia govt grants project status to Chalco's alumina project

Premier Peter Beattie of the Australian state of Queensland said Tuesday that the state has granted a significant project status to an alumina project proposed by the Aluminium Corporation of China. Chalco is proposing to develop a bauxite mine in the town of Aurukun in the northern part of Queensland. The area is believed to have enough reserves to produce 6.5 million mt a year of dry beneficated bauxite. The company also plans to construct bauxite-loading facilities, including a jetty, a wharf and associated port facilities at Boyd Point north of Aurukun, as well as a an alumina refinery with an initial capacity of 2.1 million mt/year. The statement from the premier's office said this project status would enable the state government to play a key role in coordinating the decision- making process involving various government parties, such as federal, state and local governments. "There are potentially a large number of local, state and Commonwealth agencies responsible for considering approvals for the projects and we know the approvals process will be complex," Beattie said in the statement. In addition, the Indigenous Land Use Agreement with the native title-holders and the Aurukun Shire Council has also been formally registered. This would enable Chalco to conduct a feasibility study on the Aurukun desposit.