Laos Projects
ORD has identified undeveloped bauxite resources on the Bolaven Plateau, Southern Laos, potentially one of the world’s largest.
Initial exploration indicates that the Laos bauxite deposits may have the potential to support an industry, as large as Western Australia’s Darling Ranges’ deposits which produce 14% of the world’s alumina.
ORD has formed a company in Laos with China Nonferrous Metals International Mining Co., Ltd (CNMIM) to develop the Bolaven Plateau bauxite deposits in joint venture with local Lao companies.
ORD currently has interests in tenements over an area of 727 km2 on the Bolaven Plateau. Negotiations are in progress to secure additional tenements in the area.
The bauxite potential, in the areas which are of interest to ORD, is estimated to be up to 2-2.5 billion tonnes. Over a quarter of that potential lies within tenements in which ORD and CNMIM have interests, or which are currently under negotiation.
With that potential, ORD estimates an annual production of up to 20 mtpa (million tonnes per annum) of bauxite from the Bolaven Plateau is possible, which may be refined to 5-7 mtpa of alumina.
The above figure shows the ORD’s tenement, Bolaven Plateau, Laos