BAUXITE RESOURCES LIMITED (ASX:
BAU)
ASX/ MEDIA
RELEASE
20
JANUARY 2009
APPOINTMENT OF BEN ZIEGELAAR AS
TECHNICAL MARKETING & QUALITY CONTROL MANAGER
Bauxite
Resource has appointed internationally renowned, chief technical and quality
control manager, Mr Ben Zieglaar to the post of Technical Marketing
& Quality Control Manager as the company moves forward with its proposed
DSO bauxite operation.
Mr
Zeigelaar has:
?
more than 20 years
experience as a strategic leader and champion for embedding quality throughout
mining production processes;
? broad-based business competencies in operations,
marketing and customer relations;
? expertise in building relationships and trust with key
stakeholders; and
?
is also Australian and
International Chairman of the International Standards Organisation of iron ore
and well respected leader in his field.
Australian bauxite explorer, Bauxite Resources Limited (?BRL?) (ASX - BAU),
reports that Mr Ziegelaar?s appointment comes at an opportune time for the
company as it embarks on development of its proposed stage one DSO bauxite
operation. BRL is targeting markets in China, India and Japan and is seeking to
export >3 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) from the Company?s three Darling
Range Projects, which in total comprise over 11,000 square kilometres of ground
that is serviced by existing infrastructure, including road and rail network
and three ports.
Mr Ziegelaar?s appointment further bolsters and compliments the assembly
of BRL?s senior management team which under the stewardship of Managing
Director, Mr Daniel Tenardi, is nearing completion. The Company is seeking to
establish itself in the bauxite and alumina industry through the development of
a sustainable DSO bauxite operation and possible longer term alumina refinery
and smelter.
BRL will significantly benefit from Mr Ziegelaar?s extensive experience
in maintaining quality control and consistency of ore grade throughout the
bauxite production process, and in assisting and developing the technical
aspects of the marketing of DSO bauxite. His expertise in the field will be of
benefit in promoting to the international market in particular China,
the attributes and premium nature of Darling Range
gibbsitic bauxite ore which is low in reactive silica and has a high refinery
recovery percentage. Gibbsitic bauxite requires lower refining temperatures and
lower refining pressures allowing the four Darling Range
alumina refineries to operate in the lowest cost quartile of alumina producers
globally.
An experienced Perth-based chemist, Mr Ziegelaar joins Bauxite from his
most recent position with Rio Tinto Iron Ore
where he was the Manager ? Quality Measurement, a position he held since 2005.
Prior to this, he was the Manager for Quality/ Technical Advisor, Manager of
Rio?s Robe River Marketing and Chief Chemist of Robe
River. Prior
to working with Rio Tinto he was Manager Quality Control and Shipping at BHP
Iron Ore at
Port Hedland.
Mr Ziegelaar has extensive experience in mineral operations, marketing
and customer relationship building which is testament to his position as
Chairman of the International Standards Organisation technical Committee (ISO)
on the Chemistry of iron ore, as well as the Australian Chairman of Standards
Australia (MN2SC2).
Commenting on the appointment, BRL?s Managing Director, Mr Daniel
Tenardi, said the Company was extremely fortunate to attract someone of
Ben?s calibre and international standing and was further evidence as to
the quality of the company?s proposed DSO project: ?For a person of Ben?s
experience and standing to leave his current position in the world?s second
largest mining corporation at this stage in his career and join a recently
ASX-listed junior minerals company was a resounding vote of confidence in the
DSO project in otherwise difficult economic times. ?
- ENDS -
Enquiries
to:
Mr Dan Tenardi
Bauxite Resources
Ltd
Mr Brad Farmer
Managing
Director
Public Affairs
Ph: +618 9221
5019
Ph: +618 9221 5019
Mobile: 0409
106
022
Mobile:
0413 031 870
email:
dtenardi@bauxiteresources.com
email: bfarmer@bauxiteresources.com.au
BACKGROUND
Bauxite Resources Limited was founded in May 2006
for the purpose of securing tenements over land deemed prospective for bauxite
mineralisation. BRL listed on the ASX on 22 October 2007 after closing
its A$7.5 million IPO early and oversubscribed.
The
Company is establishing itself in the bauxite and alumina industries in Western
Australia and is the only ASX-listed junior explorer in
the highly prospective Darling Range.
This area in Western
Australia is acknowledged as the largest
producing alumina region in the world supplying approximately 18% of the
world?s alumina and the location of Alcoa?s Huntly Mine, the largest producing
bauxite mine in the world. The Darling Range is also the site of four alumina
refineries; three of these are in the top five for lowest operating costs
globally which is principally due to the gibbsite composition of the Darling
Range bauxite, and it?s low reactive silica.
To date,
the WA-owned Company has applied for 59 tenements in the four project areas of
North Darling Range, South Darling Range, East Darling Range and Kimberley.
The Darling Range tenements cover over 11,000km2 and the Kimberley
tenements cover approximately 1,100km2.
Bauxite
Resources is primarily focused on defining an initial sustainable economic
bauxite resource sufficient to support a >3Mtpa DSO bauxite project and in
January 2009 announced its maiden JORC-compliant Inferred resource of 18.2Mt at
43.1% Al2O3. In the longer term the Company is reviewing
opportunities for the development of an alumina refinery and possible
smelter.
The recent
signing of MOU?s with state-sanctioned Chinese interests has further
strengthened BRL?s firm position as an emerging and significant resource
entity.
EXPLORATION
The Company is currently carrying
out drilling and exploration on areas of degraded freehold farmland where it
has been granted access and relevant permits as it pursues its Stage 1 DSO
operation.
For more information please visit
our website at www.bauxiteresources.com.au
Or contact us at admin@bauxiteresources.com.au
Jason Cunningham
READ CORPORATE
Public Relations Corporate Communications
T: (+61-8) 9388-1474 I F:
(+61-8) 9388-1472 I E: jason@readcorporate.com.au I Web: www.readcorporate.com.au