【Ferro-alloys.com】: Western Yilgarn NL (ASX: WYX) has significantly expanded its bauxite portfolio with the acquisition of the highly prospective Cardea 1 and 2 Bauxite Projects in Western Australia, positioning the company for potential production growth in a rising alumina market.

High-Grade Results Highlight Exceptional Quality
The Cardea 2 Project has delivered outstanding drilling results with extensive high-grade bauxite mineralisation extending over 1.7km by 0.5km. Historical vacuum drilling returned exceptionally high available alumina content with remarkable intersections including:

5.5m at 37.5% Available Al?O? and 1.7% Reactive SiO?
5.5m at 38% Available Al?O? and 1.8% Reactive SiO?
4.5m at 38.2% Available Al?O? and 2.3% Reactive SiO?
These results are particularly significant as they substantially exceed the grades of operating mines in the region. For comparison, the Worsley Alumina Operations (South32) mines at average grades of 28.7% Available Al?O?.

Strategic Location in Premier Bauxite Province
The Western Yilgarn bauxite project is strategically located within the world-class Darling Range Bauxite Mineral Field, approximately 16.5km southeast of Western Yilgarn's flagship Julimar West Bauxite Project, which hosts a substantial 168Mt resource.

The project benefits from proximity to critical infrastructure, including:

The Millendon Junction Railway Line
Established road networks
Just 110km from Perth via the Great Northern Highway
Understanding Bauxite Quality: Why Grade Matters
For investors new to bauxite mining, two key metrics determine economic value:

Available Alumina (Av Al?O?): This represents the portion of aluminum oxide that can be economically extracted using the Bayer process. Higher available alumina translates directly to improved project economics.

Reactive Silica (Re SiO?): This is a penalty element that increases processing costs as it consumes caustic soda during alumina refining. Lower reactive silica values are strongly preferred.

The Cardea 2 Project's average of >35% Available Al?O? with 4% Reactive SiO? represents a quality profile that could command premium pricing in the market.

"We are extremely pleased with securing the Cardea 1 & 2 Projects as it provides further scalability and excellent potential to increase the bauxite tonnage and grade through further exploration to the west and northern portion of the Exploration Licence area. The location of the current resources is within trucking distance of a multi-user railway at a time of record alumina and bauxite prices." – Western Yilgarn Non-Executive Director Mr. Kastellorizos

• [Editor:Alakay]