Barry Carbon joins Bauxite Resources

Former Environmental Protection Authority chairman Barry Carbon has today been appointed to the board of Bauxite Resources, which is currently awaiting approval for its bauxite operation from the Department of Environment.

Mr Carbon assumes responsibilities for the non-executive chairman role, which has been vacated by Luke Atkins, who remains on board as a non-executive director.

Mr Carbon's appointment comes as Bauxite Resources waits on approval from the Department of Environment and Conservation for a works application for its North Bindoon stage one operation.

The company currently has a quarrying licence for the operation, which caps mining at about 50,000 tonnes a year. Bauxite Resources earlier this month celebrated its maiden bauxite shipment to customers in China.

A DEC spokesperson told WA Business News that should Bauxite Resources receive approval, it would then need to apply for an environmental licence for the area.

The company is ramping up plans to develop an initial 1 million tonne per annum bauxite business, with mining expected by the first quarter of 2010.

Bauxite Resources is aiming to produce 3mtpa of bauxite and is conducting a study into an alumina refinery. The company recently raised $57 million to fund the study and enhance infrastructure at its existing operation.

"The Darling Range is the world's largest bauxite and alumina producing region in the world, producing around 18%, of the world's alumina, is home to 4 alumina refineries with established mining and environmental practices formulated over the past 40 years," Mr Carbon said in a statement.

Bauxite Resources holds more ground in the south west of the state than the combined landholdings of Alcoa and BHP in the region.