Metro Mining’s mine and marine divisions have commenced the 2025 production season at Bauxite Hills after completing re-commissioning through the second half of March.

The company said 84k wet metric tonnes (WMT) were loaded in the last 10 days of March, including one ultramax vessel (60k capacity), resulting in a total of 184k WMT for the March quarter.

Metro has a shipment target of 6.5 to 7.0 million WMT in 2025 following the completion of an expansion project at the Cape York bauxite operation.

Image at top of page: First loaded truck as the 2025 production season gets rolling.

In an update to the ASX, it said an early start to production coming out of its traditional wet season downtime was made possible by investment in operational practices and equipment that were better able to cope with wet ore conditions while reducing environmental risk.

This includes a new wobbler screening circuit and large Offshore Transhipment Terminal, Ikamba.

The company said remobilisation followed an intense period of annual maintenance activity at the Cape York bauxite operation focused on reliability at higher operating rates.

This was completed on time and within the $7 million budget.

All assets taken out for maintenance have been re-commissioned following a wet season rainfall of about 2000mm, 500mm less than 2024.

Although alumina prices have continued to correct a little further to end of the quarter, Metro said traded bauxite prices had remained quite resilient.

Metro has agreed all of its cargo pricing for Q2 2025 at a 20 per cent premium to Q4 2024 (FOB basis).