60,000 tonnes of bauxite for China

　　LOADING of the 60,000 tonnes of bauxite in the province of Bua is expected to be completed next week.

　　Bauxite mine manager Basilio Vanuaca said the MV Yon Shun would load 60,000 tonnes of bauxite valued at $2.1 million a month.

　　However, he said it was not clear when the ship would leave for China.

　　"The ship is still being loaded and will complete loading by next week,"? Mr Vanuaca said.

　　"Actual dates are not clear as it involves Customs, Immigration and Quarantine to release the ship,"? he said.

　　The ship, which sailed straight from China for the first shipment, has a capacity of 60,000 tonnes.

　　It arrived last week and was cleared in Lautoka before sailing to Galoa Bay with the help of local pilot Captain Freddy Vollmer.

　　Mr Vanuaca said the Bua bauxite mine was expected to rake in about $25 million annually from the expected 12 shipments.

　　He said the mine would export an estimated two million tonnes of bauxite from Nawailevu over the next two years.

　　Two barges that arrived earlier this year from China will transport 2000 tonnes each of bauxite to load onto the mother ship anchored in Galoa Bay.

　　The Nawailevu bauxite mine in Bua has injected about $34 million to set up the operation and this includes social obligations costs, education, church aid and employment.