VBX Limited (ASX: VBX) has reported a major uplift in the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) from its 2025 infill drilling campaign at the near-term Wuudagu Bauxite Project in northern Western Australia, delivering a 51% increase in Wuudagu B and C (including CNN).
The company expects the DFS, due this year, to incorporate a material extension to Wuudagu’s mine life, based on the PFS mining rate of 6 Mtpa.
Highlights
- Resource confidence increased, with 43% of the MRE classified as Measured and 56% as Indicated.
- Total Measured and Indicated MRE of 95.8 Mt at 39.5% Al2O3 and 13.7% SiO2, comprising:
- 21.0 Mt at 39.4% Al2O3 and 13.3% SiO2 (Wuudagu B)
- 74.8 Mt at 39.6% Al2O3 and 13.8% SiO2 (Wuudagu C, including CNN)
“A 51% increase in the Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource Estimate just from the 2025 infill drilling program conducted at Wuudagu B and Wuudagu C is a great outcome,” VBX founder and managing director Ryan de Franck said.
“The 2025 PFS demonstrated Wuudagu to be an industry leading project with a unique combination of an attractive, low silica product quality and short, efficient logistics setting it apart from existing and potential suppliers into the rapidly growing bauxite market. The PFS mine life of 10 years was constrained by the previous 63.5 Mt Indicated Mineral Resource Estimate.”
“Increasing the size and confidence in the Wuudagu resource has been a key focus since listing in June last year and delivering a Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource Estimate of over 95 Mt from the Wuudagu B and C plateaus only demonstrates the potential to materially extend the mine life at Wuudagu through the completion of the DFS in the coming months.”
“We look forward to defining initial resource estimates for the Wuudagu D, E and F plateaus in February which will supplement the revised resource estimate for Wuudagu B and C and more fully inform the potential production profile and mine life at Wuudagu as part of the DFS.”
The MRE was completed by independent consultant Rod Brown (SRK), who VBX notes has more than 30 years’experience in lateritic bauxite resource estimation.
The Wuudagu MRE is reported on an in-situ basis, with reported grades not reflecting product quality improvements achievable through simple, industry-standard beneficiation methods.
An initial MRE for Wuudagu D, E and F is expected to be completed in February.