First Bauxite Corporation

What First Bauxite Corporation does

First Bauxite LLC is a US-owned, privately held industrial minerals company with mining and ore beneficiation operations in Guyana, South America. The company extracts and processes a portfolio of high-purity minerals including Gibbsitic bauxite, quartz sand, kaolin, and ball clays from its Bonasika mine and related Guyanese deposits, producing material for non-metallurgical applications such as refractories and steelmaking, water treatment, ceramics, construction, abrasives, welding, glass manufacturing, flame retardants, and oil services proppants. Operations are vertically integrated from mine through a purpose-built quality control laboratory at Sandhills to a company-owned ISPS-certified port terminal capable of loading up to 6,000 metric tons per weather working day into vessels up to 140 metres in length, with over 50% of output shipped to the United States. The product mix has been deliberately broadened since 2023 to include high-purity quartz sand, kaolin, and ball clays alongside the core bauxite franchise, and downstream exposure was added through the acquisition of US Ceramics.

The company is majority-owned by Resource Capital Funds, a private equity firm specializing in natural resource investments, and operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries First Bauxite Inc. (FBX) in Guyana, Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc. (GINMIN), and US Ceramics. Commercial activity is enterprise-led, with direct B2B sales executed through a VP Commercial, Nathan Wollenburg, supported by a logistics director with prior dry bulk chartering experience at Enviva, Holcim Trading, and Sims Metal Management, and a sales team targeting industrial buyers in steel, ceramics, construction, water treatment, and oil services. The business generates revenue through one-time sales of industrial mineral tonnage, with no publicly disclosed pricing; commercial inquiries route to the VP Commercial. Over 90% of the workforce is Guyanese, the Sandhills facility operates under ISPS maritime security code, and the company has secured ISPS accreditation, won multiple safety awards from the National Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health in Guyana, and maintains active engagement with MARAD, GGMC, the Guyana EPA, and the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Since reaching full operations in early 2021, First Bauxite has been rebuilt operationally and commercially. A 2023 strategic realignment and board restructuring replaced the Executive Chairman, two directors, and the interim CEO, and was followed by the March 2024 appointment of Ralf Schoenfelder as CEO. Operational investments in the same period include commissioning the 6,900 square-foot Sandhills QC laboratory with a satellite facility at Bonasika mine, achieving full ISPS accreditation for the port, and launching the high-purity quartz sand product line in mid-2025. Distribution runs through direct enterprise sales globally with concentration of more than half of shipments to the United States, and the company is positioned to extend into additional industrial mineral categories from its existing Guyanese resource base.

Name

First Bauxite Corporation

Legal name

First Bauxite LLC

Website

https://firstbauxite.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

First Bauxite LLC is a US-owned industrial minerals company that mines and processes high-purity bauxite, quartz sand, kaolin, and ball clays in Guyana for non-metallurgical applications including refractories, ceramics, construction, water treatment, and oil services. Majority-owned by Resource Capital Funds.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Minerals Mining

NAICS

Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying (2123), Kaolin, Clay, and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining (212323), Industrial Sand Mining (212322), Sand, Gravel, Clay, and Ceramic and Refractory Minerals Mining and Quarrying (21232)

SIC

Mining & Quarrying Of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) (1400)

akta.pro primary industry

Bauxite Mining & Beneficiation (IMAKACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Kaolin & Industrial Clay Mining (Bentonite, Ball Clay, Fuller’s Earth) (IMAKAGAJ), Concentrate & Product Handling (Agglomeration, Pelletizing, Briquetting, Drying) (IMAKALAG)

Keywords

• Industrial minerals mining
• High-purity bauxite supply
• Quartz sand production
• Refractory raw materials
• Non-metallurgical minerals

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Industrial Minerals Sales: Sale of high-purity bauxite, quartz sand, and clay minerals to industrial customers in steel, ceramics, construction, water treatment, abrasives, welding, glass manufacturing, and oil services industries.
2. High-Purity Quartz Sand: New product line offering high-quality white quartz sand sourced from Guyanese deposits, achieving 99.8%-99.9% purity through straightforward benefication.
3. Proppants for Oil Services: FBX focuses on solidifying role as trusted supplier of proppants to the oil services industry, part of strategic product diversification.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

First Bauxite is an industrial minerals company that mines and processes high-purity bauxite, quartz sand, ball clays, and kaolin from its Guyanese deposits. The company operates the Bonasika mine and Sandhills processing and shiploading facility, exporting bulk industrial minerals via its own ISPS-certified port to enterprise customers in refractories, steelmaking, ceramics, construction, water treatment, abrasives, welding, glass manufacturing, and oil services industries.

Product overview

First Bauxite Corporation is a mining and industrial minerals company offering a portfolio of high-purity mineral products extracted and processed in Guyana. The core product line centers on high-purity bauxite for refractories, steelmaking, and other non-metallurgical applications. The company has diversified its mineral portfolio to include high-purity quartz sand, ball clays, and kaolin. Key infrastructure includes the Bonasika mine and the Sandhills port facility, with operations supported by subsidiary Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc. (GINMIN).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• High-Purity Bauxite High-purity bauxite ore and processed materials for non-metallurgical industrial applications including refractories, steelmaking, water treatment, flame retardants, construction, abrasives, welding, and glass manufacturing. Sourced from unique high-quality Gibbsitic bauxite deposits in Guyana.
• High Purity Quartz Sand White quartz sand sourced from Guyanese deposits achieving 99.8%-99.9% purity through straightforward benefication. Features low stripping ratio, high recovery rates, broad particle sizing, and naturally high L value (whiteness) for industrial applications including glass, ceramics, and fillers.
• Ball Clays Industrial-grade ball clays sourced from Guyanese deposits, part of First Bauxite's diversified industrial minerals portfolio for ceramics and related applications.
• Kaolin Kaolin sourced from Guyanese deposits, part of First Bauxite's expansion into additional industrial minerals beyond bauxite for use in ceramics, paper, coatings, and fillers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.8%-99.9% purity achieved for quartz sand through straightforward benefication
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to establish a new water supply system in Sand Hills, Guyana. GWI signed MoU with GINMIN (First Bauxite subsidiary) to provide potable water access to riverine communities. GINMIN funding the project as part of community development commitments.
• U.S. Embassy / Government of GuyanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMutual commitment between United States and Guyana to advancing responsible investment, sustainable development, and economic opportunity within the extractive sector. U.S. Ambassador Nicole Theriot visited Bonasika operations recognizing shared commitment to responsible growth.
• Guyana Geology & Mines Commission (GGMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership for mineral resource management. Discussions began in late 2021 to expand into additional minerals (quartz sand, ball clays, kaolin) from Guyanese deposits. GGMC supported permitting and licensing process for new mineral operations.
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) GuyanacoreOthersRegulatory partnership for environmental permitting and oversight of expanded mineral operations including quartz sand and clay mining.
• Ministry of Natural Resources (Guyana)coreOthersGovernment ministry partnership for natural resource development and permitting of expanded mineral operations.
• Maritime Administration Department (MARAD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for ISPS code compliance and maritime security. Sandhills port facility works collaboratively with MARAD to ensure safety and security of commercial vessels and crews visiting Guyana. Company recognizes guidance and assistance of MARAD in achieving ISPS compliance.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Washington Mills: Specialty producer of fused minerals and abrasive grains including calcined bauxite for refractories and abrasives. Comparable to FBX because both serve refractory and abrasive end-markets with high-purity bauxite-derived materials and compete for similar industrial specification grades.

Direct peers

• U.S. Silica Holdings: Major US-based producer of industrial silica sand including proppants for oil and gas and specialty products for glass, building products and fillers. Comparable to FBX because both serve the proppants and high-purity industrial sand markets with vertically integrated mine-to-port logistics.
• KaMin Performance Minerals: Leading global producer of high-quality kaolin and specialty clay products serving paper, paint, adhesives, and rubber applications. Comparable to FBX because both sell ball clays and kaolin for industrial applications and target similar ceramics, coatings and performance mineral customers.
• Covia Holdings: North American industrial minerals producer of high-purity silica sand, proppants and other industrial minerals for glass, foundry, oil and gas, and construction. Highly relevant peer because Eric Westbrook (FBX VP Technical Integration) held senior innovation roles at Covia, and the two companies compete for similar industrial sand and proppant customers.
• Almatis: Specialty alumina producer serving refractory, ceramic and polishing applications with high-purity aluminas derived from bauxite. Highly comparable to FBX because both focus on non-metallurgical, high-purity bauxite-derived products for industrial refractory and ceramics customers, often competing head-to-head in specialty grades.
• Smart Sand: US-focused frac sand and industrial sand producer with mining and processing operations. Comparable to FBX because both sell high-purity silica-based products into oil services (proppants) and broader industrial customers, with similar mine-to-rail/logistics value chains.
• Thiele Kaolin Company: US kaolin miner and processor producing specialty clays for paper, paint, plastics and rubber. Comparable to FBX because both sell processed industrial kaolin/clay products into similar downstream coatings, fillers and performance mineral applications.

Broad incumbents

• RUSAL: Global aluminum major with substantial bauxite mining operations in Guyana and globally (e.g., Bauxite Company of Guyana). Comparable to FBX as one of the most direct bauxite mining peers operating in the same country and selling both metallurgical and non-metallurgical bauxite grades into global markets.
• Imerys: Paris-listed global specialty minerals group with leading positions in kaolin, ball clays, refractory minerals, and performance minerals. Comparable to FBX because its high-purity industrial mineral portfolio targets the same refractory, ceramics and construction customers, often from similar non-metallurgical bauxite and clay deposits.
• Sibelco: Global industrial minerals leader with a portfolio spanning silica, nepheline, feldspars, ball clays and refractories. Directly comparable to FBX because it serves the same refractory, glass, ceramics and construction end-markets from multiple mine sites worldwide and is the kind of large diversified platform FBX competes against for multi-year industrial supply contracts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GuyanaMinerals
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-bauxite-corp-fbx-

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about First Bauxite Corporation