In the late Nineties, Professor Geoffrey Blainey published the history of the first 30 years of Alcoa of Australia’s story called White Gold. It was a true account of the determination and visionary leadership of Australian and US industrialists keen to establish a world class aluminium industry in Australia soon after the end of WWII. It was the classic case of Australia having the geological inventory in extensive low grade bauxite resources but needing the technological support of a major US partner to develop a highly complex mineral processing, refining and smelting capability. Recall this was a time at the height of the Cold…
