Australia’s only manganese alloy smelter has been placed into voluntary administration, marking the latest blow for workers and the George Town community after months of uncertainty.
Business, Industry and Resources Minister Felix Ellis said the state government would urgently convene the Bell Bay Response Team following the developments with Liberty Bell Bay on Monday.
“GFG has failed to deliver on its commitments to restart operations and provide certainty to Tasmanians,” Ellis said.
“Today’s news will be difficult for workers, their families and the local community who have already endured prolonged uncertainty.”
The smelter, owned by Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance, has been idle since mid-2025 after ore supply disruptions and mounting financial problems forced a halt to production.
The state government provided a $20 million secured loan to help restart the operation, but GFG never resumed smelting and the loan was not repaid.
In January, the government appointed receivers over a manganese ore stockpile it had funded.
ASIC then filed to wind up the company in early March over years of missing financial reports.
Ellis said administrators – EY – had been appointed with the aim of stabilising the business and testing the market for a potential sale or recapitalisation.
“To the workers and their families – we are in your corner and we will continue to stand with you,” he said.
The state government said it was actively engaging with the appointed administrators, receivers and key stakeholders as a matter of urgency.
“We will carefully consider all available options, with a clear focus on securing the best possible outcome for workers, the Bell Bay region and Tasmania’s industrial future,” Ellis said.
Liberty Bell Bay employs around 200 workers and is a major contributor to the Bell Bay industrial precinct and the wider northern Tasmanian economy.
Support services for affected workers and businesses are available through Business Tasmania.
