With pressure from China to last, more metals facilities could put their hands up for a bailout

The bailout of another metals facility — this time in Queensland — is unlikely to be the last, with pressures on the sector driven by China to keep up for years.

The federal government, South Australian, Tasmanian and now Queensland governments have jointly tipped more than $3.1 billion into rescuing smelters and refineries in those states.

The industry is suffering as China has ramped up its own supplies of critical minerals and continues to subsidise domestic smelting and refining, leading to prices falls that the Australian industry is struggling to compete with.

With no sign of that abating, discussions continue with more facilities, including Australia's aluminium smelters, facing the same pressures.

Bailouts are not assured.

While the Commonwealth has led negotiations on each su