Rio Tinto and Rondo Energy have commenced front-end engineering and design for a 30 MW/360 MWh thermal energy storage project at the Yarwun alumina refinery near Gladstone, Queensland, marking a potential milestone in the use of heat batteries to reduce emissions from alumina refining. The Rondo Heat Battery will store energy as high-temperature heat in refractory bricks and supply continuous process heat to support Rio Tinto’s alumina refining operations. If progressed, the project would be one of the first large-scale demonstrations of thermal energy storage for industrial process heat globally and a world-first for the alumina industry. Heat batteries target round-the-clock industrial demand Australia regularly experiences four to six hours of surplus solar-generated renewable...
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin are testing a new type of concrete made using red mud, a residue from alumina refining. The project, supported by Enterprise Ireland and carried out with Gannon Eco and McGrath Quarries, has progressed from laboratory research to trials using industrial batching equipment. The university reported on 22 October that the geopolymer concrete formulations reduced the carbon footprint by 67.8–79.8 per cent against a CEM II-A/L cement reference. The comparison included raw material supply, transport and manufacturing. To know the futuristic market and value proposition of red mud, explore the report " A Comprehensive Analysis of Bauxite Residue (Red Mud): Sustainability, Resource Recovery and Strategic Recommendations " Laboratory tests also found that the...
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Primary aluminium input costs, right from alumina to aluminium fluoride, have resumed the market after a week-long National Day Holiday with steep growth across China on Friday, October 8, found the Shanghai Metals Market. According to SMM data, the average alumina spot price has increased by RMB 64 per tonne to stand at RMB 3,884 per tonne. In Shanxi and Shandong, alumina price has climbed by RMB 100 per tonne and RMB 75 per tonne to peg at RMB 3,900 per tonne and RMB 3,875 per tonne, respectively. In Henan, the price has grown by RMB 50 per tonne to come in at RMB 3,900 per tonne. Prebaked anode price in the east has jumped by RMB 390 per tonne to settle at RMB 5,620 per tonne on October 8, with average prices expected to range between RMB 5,040 per tonne and RMB 6,200 per tonne. In...
The alumina refineries in Queensland, Australia is all set in motion to enter full-scale trials with a new technology that might transpose the bauxite residue red mud to soil-like material competent of laying on plant life. As reported by the researchers who are developing the new system, stated that there are more than four billion tonnes of red mud stockpiled in dams around the world, while Australia ranks second as a mineral waste producer. The eco-engineering solution in this context is being worked on by researchers at the University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute in collaboration with Rio Tinto and Queensland Alumina Limited. Longbin Huang, the lead researcher said: “The technology is a process to utilize functional and cost-effective engineering inputs, either...
Slovakia ranks as the fastest-growing developed economy in the world. The country has a mixed economic system in which there is a variety of private freedom, integrated with centralized economic planning and government regulation and it is a member of the European Union (EU). Slovalco is the only primary aluminium producer in Slovakia. The majority of which is owned by global aluminium giant Norsk Hydro, producing 160,000 tonnes of aluminium annually in 226 furnaces, consuming 8% of Slovakia’s total power consumption. The landlocked nation in Central Europe, Slovakia imported 822,204 tonnes of alumina during 2018-20 and the amount expended accounted for $292.95 million on the raw material for the production of aluminium and used for other applications. In 2018, Slovakia’s import of...
Vedanta Limited on Monday announced that the alumina production in Lanjigarh refinery increased by 11 percent to close at 511,000 tonnes in the second quarter of FY2022. "The Lanjigarh refinery produced 511,000 tonnes of alumina in Q2 FY22, 6 per cent higher as compared to Q1 FY22 and 11 per cent higher as compared to Q2 FY21," stated company in a filing to the BSE. Compared to the Q2 FY22, the cast metal aluminium production, including trial at the Jharsuguda and BALCO for the second quarter of FY22 soared up by 21 percent to stand at 570,000 tonnes. For the first half of FY22, the alumina production surged by 6 percent on a Y-o-Y basis to settle at 993,000 tonnes. The production of aluminium during H1 FY22 moved up by 19 percent to stand at 1.118 million tonnes. "We continue to engage...
The Iranian Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade revealed that nation’s alumina powder production has dropped down by 6% as compared to the five-month production in the last year. Iran has produced around 96, 400 tons of alumina powder during the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21 – August 22). Aluminum oxide or more commonly known as alumina is an inert, odourless, white amorphous material used in industrial ceramics. Considered as one of the most important material in the ceramics industry, it’s usage range from construction materials, as catalysts, abrasive, as well for filling materials. For the plants and mechanical engineering, alumina ceramics are used mainly for wear and corrosion protection. The application range and the alumina powder quality are...
This week a lot had happened in the Alumina industry. On Monday, September 27, the average alumina spot price had increased by RMB 126 per tonne to settle at RMB 3,733 per tonne. For September 28, the average alumina spot price was recorded at RMB 3,744 and for September 29, the spot price stood at RMB 3820 per tonne. Similarly, for September 30, the average alumina spot price had closed at RMB 3820 per tonne. To know more: https://www.alcircle.com/news/average-alumina-spot-price-in-china-continues-to-grow-by-rmb76-t-to-stand-above-rmb3800-t-a00-aluminium-ingot-price-climbs-by-rmb330-t-70488 According to the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) data, world alumina production continued to fall in August 2021 to stand at 11.565 million tonnes, including 10.845 million tonnes of...
FYI Resources is eyeing to create a market-leading high purity alumina (HPA) business, and for that matter, has entered into a partnership with global alumina leader Alcoa. They have signed a joint venture term sheet to create an initial demonstration refinery and an 8,000 tonne-per-annum HPA production facility. As per the term sheet signed, Alcoa will bear the construction costs linked to the HPA refining project, of which 65 per cent will be owned Alcoa and the remaining 35 per cent by FYI Resources. The term sheet is expected to pave the way for a future joint venture agreement, whereby FYI and Alcoa will collaborate to produce high purity alumina for the global market. FYI Resources managing director Roland Hill said: "Coming to joint development terms on our HPA project is a...
Mining Minister Robert Montage informed the House of Representatives that the August 22 fire breakout in the Jamalco alumina refinery has caused the company lose US$500,000 per day. This is based on the production cost of US$150 per tonnes of alumina at a production rate of 3,170 tonnes everyday. He also revealed that the situation in Jamalco is highly critical, interrupting the alumina production there. Montage informed that Jamalco has property and plant insurance of US$250 million that covers single incidents like fire. “In addition to property damage, the insurance policy covers extra expenses and business interruption,” says Robert Montage. He told the House that important assets like the two control rooms, powerhouse, fuel oil pump station, turbine generator control equipment, two...
Robert Montague, the Minister of Transport and Mining will be updating the parliament about the current situation of Jamalco alumina refinery which was affected by fire breakout on August 22, 2021. The alumina refinery, located in Hayes, Clarendon, was shut down initially after the fire breakout, resulting in significant alumina price hike. The fire began at around 3pm and four units from the Jamaica Fire Brigade were called to help Jamalco’s fire department for extinguishing it. However, on August 23, the refinery reported that “It has since been extinguished, with no serious injuries reported. A full assessment of the damage will be done in the coming days." Jamalco is a joint venture between General Alumina Jamaica Limited and state owned Clarendon Alumina Production Limited (CAP). The...
According to the International Aluminium Institute, alumina production in Europe, including Russia, continued to grow for the second month in a row in August 2021. IAI data showed the output increased by 19,000 tonnes or 2.12 per cent in the said month to come in at 914,000 tonnes compared to 895,000 tonnes in July 2021. In June 2021, alumina production in Europe, including Russia, stood at 848,000 tonnes, meaning the output in July recorded a hike of 47,000 tonnes or 5.54 per cent month-on-month. On a year-on-year calculation, Europe’s alumina production in August stood 32,000 tonnes or 3.63 per cent higher than 882,000 tonnes. From January to August 2021, alumina production in Europe totalled 6.964 million tonnes, which reflected an increase of 2.32 per cent from 6.806 million tonnes...
According to the Shanghai Metals Market, the average alumina spot price has continued to grow for the third consecutive day to stand above RMB 3,800 per tonne. SMM data shows the price has built up by RMB 76 per tonne to come in at RMB 3,820 per tonne on Wednesday, September 29. The average alumina price in Guizhou has skyrocketed by RMB 275 per tonne to close at RMB 3,850 per tonne, followed by the hike of RMB 125 per tonne in Guangxi to peg at RMB 3,700 per tonne. In Shandong and Shanxi, alumina price has increased by RMB 50 per tonne to stand at RMB 3,800 per tonne, while the price in Henan is hovering around RMB 3,850 per tonne by also gaining RMB 50 per tonne. Australian alumina FOB price, on the other hand, has remained restrained after a leap of US$57 per tonne to US$457 per tonne...
According to the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) data, world alumina production continued to fall in August 2021 to stand at 11.565 million tonnes, including 10.845 million tonnes of metallurgical grade alumina. That was a decrease of 0.89 per cent compared to a drop of 0.66 per cent last month. In July, the output declined from 11.746 million tonnes in June to 11.669 million tonnes. On a year-on-year calculation, world alumina production in August 2021 grew by 1.53 per cent from 11.382 million tonnes, showed IAI data. During January-August 2021, world alumina production totalled 92.627 million tonnes, up by 5.56 per cent from 87.752 million tonnes a year earlier. The daily average alumina production in August stood at 373,100 tonnes, down by 0.88 per cent from 376,400 tonnes in...
The average alumina spot price in China has opened the week on Monday, September 27, soaring by RMB 126 per tonne to come in at RMB 3,733 per tonne, found the Shanghai Metals Market. The continued raw materials supply disruptions from Guinea as well as domestic alumina production cut as refineries shut operations have resulted in this steep rise. In Henan, the price has skyrocketed by RMB 155 per tonne to RMB 3,800 per tonne, while the price in Shandong and Shanxi has surged by RMB 125 per tonne and RMB 105 per tonne, respectively, to stand at RMB 3,750 per tonne, according to SMM. Australian alumina FOB price, on the other hand, has slipped by US$92 per tonne to come in at US$400 per tonne on September 27. Among other primary aluminium input costs, aluminium fluoride price has increased...
The frontrunner in sustainable minerals processing technologies, end-to-end solutions and services globally, Metso Outotec introduced the Vertical Pressure Filter (VPF) to extract optimized solids from aluminate solutions. The VPF will also support removing suspended solids before alumina hydrate precipitation. This will further help in reducing the entrained particulate concentration from sodium aluminate solutions to a level of only a few milligrams per litre. The Vertical Pressure Filter (VPF) is a part of Metso Outotec’s portfolio of Planet Positive products and is created to improve the overall process performance, dressing costs, and also sustainability. Steps like the automatic cloth cleaning and cake discharge at the end of each filtration cycle provide the highest filtration time...
India’s multinational conglomerate and the premier infrastructure developer, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) announced that its metallurgical and material handling business has commissioned the 0.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) expansion project of Hindalco’s Utkal alumina refinery located at Kucheipadar in the Rayagada district of Odisha. According to L&T, the expansion will increase the alumina production capacity of the refinery from 1.5 MTPA to 2 MTPA. The project was inaugurated by Naveen Patnaik, the Chief Minister of Odisha. The company further added: “L&T MMH has executed this project in a time-bound manner ensuring the most critical process units of the refinery are ready. The company used modular erection methods with sophisticated machinery for speedier project execution. L&T MMH team...
Rescom’s has purchased a cape bauxite shipment from Guinea for Anrak Aluminium’s alumina refinery and is expected to reach India in October 2021, as reported by a higher official. Rescom Mineral Trading Fze, a mineral, mining, processing and trading company headquartered in Dubai, UAE and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rescom (Switzerland) AG has entered into a strategic partnership with Anrak Aluminium Ltd, India. Anrak alumina refinery with a production capacity of 1.5 million tonnes of alumina is located in Visakhapatnam, east coast of India. A transnational business group Rescom, with four decades of experience in the minerals value chain across trading, processing of industrial, fuel minerals and other major commodities started its UAE operations in 1985. The Company is one of the...
Disruptions in primary aluminium raw materials supply due to the ongoing political unrest in Guinea, the largest supplier to the world’s leading aluminium producer China, has driven the latter’s imported alumina price to a 3-year high. According to the Shanghai Metals Market, the Australian alumina FOB price has jumped by US$111 per tonne to come in at US$492 per tonne on September 17, the highest since late October 2018. Other factors that have also contributed to the distress of global alumina supply, resulting in the surge in China’s imported alumina price is one-third production slash at Alcoa’s Alumar alumina refinery, which has affected 1.2 million tonnes of 3.5 million tonnes annual capacity. In addition, Jamalco alumina refinery in Jamaica, which has an annual capacity of 1...
On 16th September 2021, the Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik virtually inaugurated Utkal Alumina refinery’s expansion of production capacity from 1.5 MTPA to 2 MTPA at Doraguda, Kashipur in Rayagada district. Aditya Birla Group, the parent company of Utkal Alumina has injected around INR 1,500 crore for the expansion of the refinery. The company foremost invested around INR 8,500 crore to set up the existing refinery in 1993. The alumina refinery is receiving bauxite from its captive mine Baphlimali. Naveen said: “We are very happy that investors in Odisha are expanding their existing projects even after the impact of Covid-19.” “This shows that our economy is bouncing back from the impacts of the pandemic and we are back on the path of sustained growth and development,” the Chief...
