Bauxite

The Northern Territory contains small to very large bauxite deposits that have produced over 170 Mt of bauxite in the last 20 years. Current resources for the NT are estimated at 222 Mt of bauxite. There is currently one mine in operation: Alcan Gove. This world-class deposit accounts for 100% of past bauxite production and 90% of identified bauxite resources in the NT.

A number of small lateritic bauxite deposits are known along the northern coastline of the NT. These deposits (like Gove) have developed over Cretaceous rocks during the Cenozoic. Further potential exists in Arnhem Land across untested lateritic areas west of Woolen River, north of the Peter John River and in the King River area.

Further details on the geological setting, ore characteristics, resources and genesis of bauxite deposits in the NT are documented in NTGS Report 13 (see Bauxite deposits of the Northern Territory).