Alurion Resources has started a pre-feasibility study (PFS) work programme at its Amargosa Bauxite-Gallium Project in Brazil, marking a shift from a resource definition stage to field-based development activities.
The company has started infill drilling and bulk-sample trenching, aiming to enhance the classification of measured and indicated resources for direct-ship bauxite (DSB) and to provide key information for mine planning.
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This ongoing programme involves 203 auger holes for a total of 2,436m, 20 diamond twin holes totalling 800m, and up to 16 bulk-sample trenches.
The initiative is designed to convert resources and assess processing efficiencies ahead of an anticipated PFS completion by mid-2027.
Central District, which hosts the largest portion of the project’s mineral resource, serves as the focal point for current development.
This area contains significant quantities of both direct-ship and beneficiable bauxite and has the greatest concentration of prior exploration work, including 75% of the historical drilling by Rio Tinto.
Bulk-sample trenching has begun across both the Central and North Districts to collect samples for integrated metallurgical and product-specification testing.
Alurion aims to assess not only improved bauxite processing yields but also the potential for recovery of ilmenite, zircon, and monazite as co-products, alongside product sizing and Bayer process trials to quantify value for alumina refineries.
A logistics study, set to be completed soon, focuses on route capacity and fleet options for staged growth in road and potential rail transport to export hubs.
The Northern export route uses the Port of Enseada, with a possible medium-term connection to the FIOL rail and the Porto Sul terminal being evaluated.
According to Alurion Resources, initial discussions with alumina and aluminium companies in Brazil, China, and the Middle East have commenced to explore potential offtake and partnership arrangements.
The Amargosa project currently hosts a mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 568 million tonnes (mt), including 98mt of direct-shipping bauxite and 470mt of beneficiable bauxite.
Alurion CEO Maurício Noronha said: “Alurion listed with a mandate to convert Amargosa’s large-scale resource base into a development-ready bauxite export project. That work is now underway at Amargosa.
“The PFS programme targets the levers that impact project value: PFS standard resource estimate, product performance, and potential critical mineral co-products.”
