A definitive feasibility study on Stage 2 of the Bauxite Hills mine, in Queensland, has estimated that it would require a capital investment of A$51.4-million to increase production from the current 3.5-million tonnes a year to six-million tonnes a year.
ASX-listed Metro Mining on Monday said that the expanded project would have a pay-back period of less than 18 months, with life-of-mine unit operating costs forecast to reduce by some 18% once the project operates at the six-million tonne a year production rate.