Metro Mining (ASX: MMI) has reported record half-year shipments of 1.9 million wet metric tonnes of bauxite from its Bauxite Hills operation on Cape York.

This was a 2 per cent increase year-on year, despite an unusually long wet season and a site evacuation for Tropical Cyclone Narelle in late March.

The target for the second half of the year is in excess of 5 million WMT, when Metro will also benefit from more favourable tidal conditions and drier ore.

The company reported a gross operating loss of $27.4 million for the half-year.

It said it had suffered a $49.1 million earnings reduction compared to 1H 2025 driven by significantly softer market conditions and pricing for bauxite.

‘The bottom has already been reached with improved bauxite and alumina market conditions and 5 per cent higher prices already agreed for the third calendar quarter,’ Metro said.

‘Bauxite production and exports from Guinea are being restricted by continuing high ocean freight rates and diesel costs as a result of the Gulf conflict. Metro’s freight costs, including bunker fuel, are predominantly fixed under contracts agreed at the end of 2024. The Guinean government has additionally flagged plans to implement some form of bauxite export volume quota.’

The Century zinc retreatment operation produced 45kt of payable zinc in the first six months of 2026, compared with 51kt in the same period last year.

Owner Sibanye Stillwater said the drop was due to lower grades, adverse weather conditions and scheduled maintenance. Meanwhile AISC increased by 23 per cent, primarily reflecting lower production volumes and inflationary cost pressures.

But a higher equivalent zinc concentrate price more than offset lower production and higher unit costs, with adjusted EBITDA increasing by about 50 per cent.

“Century remained profitable and cash generative as the current tailings retreatment operation approaches the end of its operating life,” Sibanye Stillwater reported.

Green and Gold Minerals (ASX: GG1) plans a 3000m drilling program at Mount Wandoo in the Chillagoe region next month.

The project’s mineral resource estimate stands at 905kt at 1.11g/t gold and 13g/t silver for 32,000oz gold and 387,000oz silver, and covers only 260m of the 850m strike length of outcropping mineralisation.

Green and Gold’s drilling program at Mount Wandoo late last year returned several strong gold-silver intersections that remain open in at least one direction, including 9m at 7.9g/t gold and 51g/t silver from 59m and 19m at 2.9g/t gold; and 12g/t silver from 36m; and 18m at 1.9g/t gold and 19g/t silver from 109m.

The drill program will focus on infilling shallow resource gaps adjacent to recently identified high-grade areas and on extensions to mineralisation beyond the current resource boundary. The drilling aims to enhance the ounces available for mining.