Canadian Developer Plans $200 Million Louisiana Bauxite Processing Plant
Canadian project developer First Bauxite Corp. has announced plans to invest $200 million in the development of a bauxite processing plant on a 30-acre site on the Mississippi River at the Port of South Louisiana’s Globalplex Intermodal Terminal.
The announcement comes after the Toronto-based company said it had completed a feasibility study calling for the company to mine bauxite—an alumina-based ore—from Guyana, on the northern coast of South America, and ship it to the planned facility.
The terminal will use the bauxite to produce ceramic proppants for the oil and gas industry. Proppants are sands or manufactured ceramic materials added to an industrial fluid to keep a hydraulic facture open during or following the fracking process.
In the third quarter of 2015, First Bauxite plans to initiate discussions with third parties to develop strategic initiatives to finance the project. If financing for the project is secured, the planned construction period is 27 months, followed by an estimated three-year production ramp-up, the company said.
LOUISIANA ATTRACTED THE PROJECT WITH A PACKAGE OF COMPREHENSIVE INCENTIVES
“Completion of our feasibility study is a significant milestone in the development of our bauxite industrial minerals project,” said First Bauxite CEO Alan Roughead. “The proposed facility will be located in a region offering competitive infrastructure, energy, labor and market access. We are very grateful for the assistance provided by LED [Louisiana Economic Development], the Port of South Louisiana and the local authorities and business community.”
LED began discussing the potential project with the company in March 2014. To secure the project, the state offered a competitive incentive package that includes a performance-based grant of $950,000 to offset the costs of infrastructure improvements, and utilization of the state’s comprehensive workforce development program.
The company also is expected to utilize the state’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.
“The Port of South Louisiana is very pleased that First Bauxite has chosen to construct its planned new bauxite plant at the port’s Globalplex Terminal,” said Port of South Louisiana executive director Paul Aucoin. “We look forward to working with them and making this project a huge success. We are particularly happy about the 100 new good-paying jobs that will come with the project.”
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