Bauxite deposits at Gove occur at a latitude slightly more than 12 degrees south of the equator. The bauxite appears to be a weathering product of Cretaceous marine sediments, which overlie Proterozoic basement rocks of the Arnhem Inlier. Uplift, weathering, and erosion of the sediments, as well as formation of the bauxite, took place during the Tertiary, but exact timing and detail of events remains uncertain. Marine reworking of weathered products is likely to have taken place, possibly more than once. Pisolitic textures are dominant, with variable cementation. However, variably cemented coarser nodule horizons are also common. Some deeper bauxite, as well as underlying laterite, contain abundant interconnected solution cavities, which may have been created geochemically and/or biologically (associated with root channels). Modern day root channel structures and infill, in the upper part of the bauxite, are common. Gibbsite is the major ore mineral, with boehmite being of lesser significance Bauxite occurs on top of a gently undulating plateau at approximately 30 to 70m above sea level, over an area measuring approximately 20km east-west by 15km north-south as seen in the figure below. The plateau has been variably dissected by erosion into three main plateau areas. Main Plateau is the largest contiguous bauxite area, whilst Rocky Bay and Eldo are two adjacent smaller bauxite areas, figure below. The present day extent of the bauxite likely represents a fraction of what wa ........

The Ore Reserve is mined using a shallow, open cut strip mining technique developed over several decades of operations. Once the area is tree cleared and the topsoil/overburden removed, the bauxite is ripped by dozers before being hauled to the crusher for sizing. Several mining areas are active at any one time to enable blending and to mitigate against operational risk.

As the Ore Reserve is shallow, geotechnical risks are extremely low. Stockpile heights and wet road conditions are managed in accordance with standard operating procedures.

Dilution and mining recovery parameters are applied during the Ore Reserve estimation process, based on reconciliation of past performance and reviewed annually.

Minimum bauxite mining thickness of 0.7 m is used for Ore Reserve estimation.

Inferred Mineral Resources are not considered in the estimation of Ore Reserves.

Apart from maintenance workshops to maintain the mining equipment, stores for consumables and water stands there is no other significant infrastructure required with the mining method.

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