BAUXITE STUDY – Alcan looks to Madagascar

MADAGASCAR - Montreal's ALCAN and ACCESS MADAGASCAR SARL have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly study the development of a bauxite mine and alumina refinery in the country's southeastern Manantenina District. The proposed plant would have an initial capacity of 1.0 million to 1.5 million tonnes of alumina per year.

Alcan and Access are planning a "concept" study to review the bauxite reserves and logistics, including cost estimates, and an analysis of the social and environmental conditions. The study is to be completed in Q2 2007.

According to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's world factbook, deposits of graphite, chromite, coal, salt, quartz, oil sands and semiprecious stones are also found on Madagascar, the fourth largest island in the world (see www.CIA.gov).