Administrators announce the closure of Australia’s only manganese smelter, ending operations despite a sale bid. Multiple reports say more than 200 workers lose their jobs following the decision. The smelter’s winding down follows the appointment of administrators, who state the facility will not continue to operate. While a bid for the plant was submitted in an effort to keep the business running, administrators determine that closure is the outcome. The reports focus on the immediate impact on employees, with hundreds of roles affected as the smelter shuts. Both outlets describe the smelter as the country’s only manganese processing facility and connect the job losses directly to the administrators’ decision to close rather than sell or restart the operation. The coverage does not provide detailed information on the buyer, the conditions of the sale bid, or an exact closure timeline, but it consistently reports that the administrators’ plan results in job losses for the workforce.