Legal wrangles have stalled the project but the company said that it would source bauxite from elsewhere if it failed to get the necessary clearance.

Rather, ministers have stalled the project while dithering over straightforward local mitigation issues.

However, insufficient funding and lack of investor interest effectively stalled the project at the planning stage.

Officials warned the delay could stall the project's timeline and add costs.

However, lack of funding and environmental issues have stalled the project for 30 years.