Western Yilgarn bumps up bauxite resource yet again

• WYX bumps up New Norcia bauxite resource to 39.27Mt 
• Brings total resources across WA bauxite projects to 244Mt
• More exploration to grow resource base further

Special Report: Western Yilgarn has beefed up its bauxite portfolio to 244Mt with a maiden resource estimate for the New Norcia deposit.

New Norcia is just 25km north of the company’s flagship 168Mt Julimar West bauxite project and this update comes just days after a resource update for the Cardea 2 deposit to 20Mt.

New Norcia now hosts an estimated 39.27Mt bauxite at 22.7% available alumina (Al2O3) and 12.8% reactive silica (SiO2).

It’s another arrow in the company’s bauxite bow, with Western Yilgarn’s (ASX:WYX) total bauxite resources increasing to an estimated 244Mt across the Darling Range bauxite field.

Non-executive director Pedro Kastellorizos said this demonstrates the region’s potential to host an economic bauxite resource of sufficient size and quality to support a small to medium-scale direct shipping ore operation, targeting established alumina refineries in China and the Middle East via seaborne export.

“The New Norcia bauxite project, together with our extensive Julimar West bauxite project and Cardea 2 and 3 projects, represent a compelling opportunity to deliver shareholder value, create jobs in local communities, and establish Western Yilgarn as a new, independent, and highly profitable supplier of high-quality bauxite,” he said.

Room to grow at record prices

A strong foundation exists for further resource expansion to the west and south of the New Norcia project, with a 1.7km long by 1.5km wide area remaining untested for bauxite mineralisation.

Kastellorizos said the company remains confident there’s room to grow the deposit along strike and at depth.

“The results highlight strong scalability and significant potential to increase tonnage through further exploration,” he said.

“Importantly, the current resources are located within trucking distance of a multi-user railway – an advantage that comes at a time of record alumina and bauxite prices.”

Bauxite prices, which rose following last year’s suspension of exports from Guinea, are expected to rise further this year after the West African country started proceedings in May 2025 to revoke Emirates Global Aluminium’s licence – which supplies around 4% of global aluminium. 

Regional mapping and interpretation of the Geological Survey of WA has delineated laterite and pisolitic gravels in which the bauxite occurs. These areas will be systematically targeted as first pass exploration.

“Planning is already underway for the next phase of drilling across untested zones within the company’s bauxite portfolio, aimed at expanding the current mineralised footprint,” Kastellorizos said.

This article was developed in collaboration with Western Yilgarn, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing. 

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.