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Note: In just a few years, private Greek bauxite producer, Elmin, has transformed itself into a major non-metallurgical supplier. 2011 is expected to be a busy year: new mines, increased output, port development, and rising demand are all on the cards
View from Elmin's processing site at Aghia Marina,
central Greece, looking west to the Iti and Giona
mountains bearing bauxite and host to Elmin's mines.
Greece has long been an important supplier of bauxite to world markets, and has maintained its position as one of the world's few sources of bauxite for non-metallurgical markets (see panel).
The only other commercially developed sources of non-metallurgical bauxite are located in Brazil, China (mainly Guizhou, Henan, and Shanxi provinces), and Guyana - the latter two countries operations are owned by Chinese companies.
There are just three producers of bauxite in Greece: Delphi-Distomon SA, Hellenic Mining Enterprises SA (Elmin), and S&B Industrial Minerals SA [ETH] of these, the latter two supply non-metallurgical markets.
Delphi-Distomon was the result of the merger of Delphi Bauxites and Greek Distomon Bauxites, and was a subsidiary of Aluminium of Greece until 2007,Ewhen both became direct subsidiaries of Mytilineos Holdings SA.
Delphi-Distomon SA produces 750-800,000 tpa of bauxite for aluminium production by Aluminium of Greece SA.
S&B has capacity to produce 1.5m. tpa bauxite, although 2010 output was expected to be around 900,000 tpa. In 2009, S&B bauxite sales for SGA amounted to 61%, the remainder for non-metallurgical markets.
Until the mid-2000s, Elmin was predominantly a supplier of metallurgical grade bauxite, and producing less than 300,000 tpa.
However, by 2010, Elmin had undergone a significant transformation into a non-metallurgical bauxite supplier aiming at 500,000 tpa and a firm eye on export markets.
Elmin sales by region 2009
Map showing Elmin's mines (red) and port facilities (blue) in Greece.
Time for change
Headquartered in Athens, with its main mining and processing centre of operations located at Lamia, on Greece's central east coast (see map), Elmin was formed in November 2000 after succesfully bidding for the assets of Elbaumin in 1999.
Elbaumin, a bauxite producer in liquidation, had assets including mines in the prefectures of Attica, Fthiotis, Viotia, Fokis, and Evia, as well as bauxite reserves, port, and processing facilities.
Since 2000, Elmin has embarked on...