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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On Thursday, April 15, Hydro reportedly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with New Fortress Energy (NFE) for sourcing natural gas for its Alunorte alumina refinery. The objective is to replace a part of current fuel oil consumption with environmentally friendly energy, aiming at meeting the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030. To switch to natural gas as an energy source at Alunorte, Hydro will modify the calcination process and part of the steam generation. According to the MoU signed, New Fortress Energy will deliver a minimum agreed amount of natural gas to the refinery per annum for a period of 15 years. The supply of liquefied natural gas to the refinery is expected to start in 2022. The gas is likely to come from an LNG regasification...
After remaining restrained for almost a month at RMB 2,338 per tonne, the average alumina spot price in China has inched up by RMB 2 per tonne to stand at RMB 2,340 per tonne on Friday, April 16, learned the Shanghai Metals Market. In Shanxi, the price has gained RMB 5 per tonne to come in at RMB 2,345 per tonne, with average prices likely to range between RMB 2,340 per tonne and RMB 2,350 per tonne. However, in other Chinese cities, the price has continued to remain restrained. Australian alumina FOB price has also not displayed any change from US$ 273 per tonne as of April 16. A00 aluminium ingot price has continued to grow, although slower than the three previous days, to close the week on Friday, April 16, at RMB 18,130 per tonne, according to SMM. The average prices are expected to...
Europe's largest alumina refinery and a major alumina asset of RUSAL, Aughinish Alumina has received approval for its proposal for an extension of its large plant near Foynes, Limerick County to be considered under the fast-track planning process for large strategic projects. The independent, statutory, quasi-judicial body that decides on appeals from planning decisions made by local authorities in the Republic of Ireland, An Bord Pleanála has ruled that the proposal for extension of an extraction facility at one of the most globally technologically advanced and energy-efficient alumina refinery can be considered for strategic infrastructure development. This signifies that the company can apply directly to the board for planning permission without first having to apply to Limerick City...
Shanghai Metals Market data found a month-on-month surge of 7.17 per cent in China’s March alumina output to 6.28 million tonnes, following the two consecutive months of decline in January and February. In February 2021, China’s alumina production stood at 5.90 million tonnes, reflecting a decrease of 0.68 per cent month-on-month. The alumina output in March included 6.07 million tonnes of metallurgical-grade alumina, up by 7.43 per cent from 5.65 million tonnes in February 2021. This brings China's total metallurgical-grade alumina production during January-March 2021 to 17.32 million tonnes - 7.12 per cent higher than in the same period last year. However, daily alumina production in March inched down by 2.89 per cent month-on-month to 195,900 tonnes. In February, on the other hand,...
Eti Alüminyum Seydişehir Plant is the only integrated aluminium plant producing aluminium from ore in Turkey. The continuous investment has made it able to adapt to technological conditions of the age and to acquire competitive power in the international markets, making considerable contributions to the economy of the country, and especially of the region. The transcontinental country straddling South-eastern Europe and Western Asia has recorded 44,956 tonnes of alumina during 2018-19 and the revenue expended for the import during the phase stood at $41.09 million. The import for 2020 accounted 19,230 tonnes and the expenditure occurred remained at $18.41 million. However, when the import volume and expenditure of 2020 gets assorted with the existing two years, it denotes 64,186 tonnes...
Under Atmanirbhar Bharat Mission, city-based institute Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development Design Centre (JNARDDC) has innovated a distinct technology to extract Rare Earth Elements (REE) from aluminium waste (Red Mud), in an attempt to reduce India's import dependence on China for REE. According to the report, the institute has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT), Bhubaneswar; CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory (CSIR-NML), Jamshedpur; National Aluminium Company Ltd. (NALCO), Hindalco Industries Ltd., and Vedanta Ltd., under the initiative of Indian Government’s NITI Aayog, for joint research and development to further enhance its innovation. Red Mud is produced during alumina extraction from...
North America's alumina production in February 2021 reflected a month-on-month decline of 32,000 tonnes or 9.41 per cent, found the International Aluminium Institute. From 340,000 tonnes in January 2021, the output decreased to 308,000 tonnes in February, showed the IAI data. North America's alumina production in January 2021 had, however, displayed a rise of 2,000 tonnes or 0.59 per cent from 338,000 tonnes in December 2020. On a year-on-year calculation, North America’s alumina output in February 2021 stood down by 1.95 per cent compared to 314,000 tonnes. In the first two months of 2021, North America’s alumina production totalled 648,000 tonnes, registering an increase of 4,000 tonnes or 0.62 per cent from 644,000 tonnes during the same period last year. Alumina production in South...
In February 2021, alumina production in West Europe stood at 439,000 tonnes, reflecting a decline of 40,000 tonnes or 8.35 per cent month-on-month. In January 2021, West Europe churned out 479,000 tonnes of alumina, which was less by 3,000 tonnes from the previous month. On a year-on-year basis, alumina production in West Europe in February 2021 also stood lower by 38,000 tonnes or 7.97 per cent. In January 2020, alumina output in West Europe was at 477,000 tonnes. In the first two months of 2021, West Europe’s alumina production totalled 918,000 tonnes, down by 13,000 tonnes or 1.40 per cent from 931,000 tonnes during the same period last year. Alumina production in East & Central Europe reflected a higher month-on-month decrease in February 2021 than in West Europe. The output fell...
Global alumina production stood at 10.574 million tonnes in February 2021, an increase of 1.41% from 10.427 million tonnes in February 2020, according to the latest data showed by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). On a month-on-month comparison, the output reduced 9.99% from 11.747 million tonnes. For the first two months of 2021, total alumina production came in at 22.321 million tonnes, marking a growth of 2.54% from 21.768 million tonnes for the first two months of 2020. In Africa and Asia ex-China, alumina production increased by 5.77% year-on-year but down by 1.82% month-on-month to 1.026 million tonne tonnes in February 2021. In January-February, output came in at 2.071 million tonnes, down from 1.976 million tonnes in January-February 2020. In Oceania, alumina production...
The Swedish economy is losing its pace for recovery in short term, but the foundation is in place for a strong rebound later in 2021. Unemployment is expected to decline, while inflationary pressures remain subdued, but the outlook is elusive due to upside-down statistics and incoherent signals from the Riksbank. The Scandinavian nation’s import of alumina during 2018-19 recorded with 467,237 tonnes and the expenditure occurred for the import stood at $134.20 million. The import for 2020 remained at 214,951 tonnes and the expenditure stood at $48.40 million. However, when the import volume and expenditure for 2020 gets merged with the existing two years, it denotes 682,188 tonnes and $182.60 million respectively. Sweden’s import of alumina in 2018 stood at 256,796 tonnes and the...
The exploration mining company, King River Resources, with holdings at Speewah and Mt Remarkable in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia and at Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory reflects its share price mounting 27%, gliding on the news that the company has managed to produce high purity alumina at greater than 99.99% purity, also known as “4N HPA”. Presently, the mining company is fully absorbed in its feasibility study over the project that also brags vanadium, iron and titanium, despite King River is now solidly focussed on the economics of producing high purity alumina from it. High purity alumina is a gainful modern age mineral that has scores of uses comprising as a coating inside lithium batteries, as an iPhone face and even in LED that is rapidly replacing...
After about two weeks of restraint at RMB 2,332 per tonne, the average alumina spot price in China has inched up by RMB 6 per tonne to close the week on Friday, March 19, at RMB 2,338 per tonne, according to the Shanghai Metals Market. In Shanxi, alumina price has increased by RMB 10 per tonne to come in at RMB 2,340 per tonne, with average prices likely to range between RMB 2,330 per tonne and RMB 2,350 per tonne. In Henan, the price has gained RMB 5 per tonne to peg at RMB 2,335 per tonne. Average prices are likely to hover around RMB 2,330-2,340 per tonne. Australian alumina FOB price, on the other hand, has dwindled by US$ 5 per tonne to settle at US$ 289 per tonne, learned SMM. Among the other primary aluminium input costs, aluminium powder price has dipped by RMB 0.30 per kg to...
Rusal has announced its financial and operational results for the year 2020 ended on December 31, severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the first months of the year that saw significant global market turmoil due to the virus outbreak. According to the report revealed by Rusal, the company’s bauxite production reflected a downfall of 7.5 per cent from 16.047 million tonnes in 2019 to 14.838 million tonnes in 2020. In the first half of the year, the company’s bauxite output was 7.469 million tonnes, which in the second half dropped by 1.3 per cent to 7.369 million tonnes. On a year-on-year basis, the output in H2 2020 showed a decrease of 7.6 per cent from 7.974 million tonnes. Full-year alumina production, on the other hand, rose 4.1 per cent from 7.858 million tonnes in...
The mine safety regulator of Western Australia is investigating the leakage of seven million litres of potentially toxic material gushed from a tank at Alcoa’s alumina refinery this week. On 9 th March 2021, the incident took place at the American industrial giant’s alumina refinery in Wagerup, 120 kilometres south of Perth. As per our sources, the material leakage from a tank came to Alcoa’s knowledge at late night. However, no employees were in the zone at the time and the clean-up of the site was commenced immediately. On 12 th March 2021, Alcoa engaged the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety and inspectors on-site to investigate. Alcoa stated that the potentially alkaline mining process material had escaped through a hole in the bottom of a tank in a report to the...
UCASE, the Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees said that it has served a 14-day ultimatum to the management of UC Rusal Alumina Jamaica Limited post negotiations with the company became motionless. As per the statement from UCASE, the bauxite mining company on 10 th March 2021 refused to address the 27 points listed in a claim that was served to the company on October’ 20. The Moscow, Russia headquartered UC Rusal is one of the largest processors of bauxite, alumina, aluminium and UC Rusal Alumina Jamaica Limited is its subsidiary. UCASE said: “The claim was served on behalf of 600 production workers at the company's mining and alumina processing facilities at Ewarton Works, Swallenberg, Port Esquivel and Kirkvine and is retroactive to 4 th November 2019 and is due...
In the fourth quarter of 2020, the United States alumina imports stood at 314,000 tonnes, reflecting a marginal decrease of 2,000 tonnes quarter-on-quarter. In Q3 2020, the United States had imported 312,000 tonnes of alumina – 13.57 per cent less than 361,000 tonnes in Q2 2020. On a year-on-year calculation, the United States alumina imports in Q4 2020 stood down by 32.62 per cent from 466,000 tonnes. In the entire year of 2020, the United States alumina imports totalled 1.340 million tonnes compared to 1.940 million tonnes in 2019. This records a downfall of 30.93 per cent year-on-year in the US alumina imports in 2020. Brazil continued to be the top exporter of alumina to the United States in the fourth quarter of 2020, supplying 239,000 tonnes. In Q3, Brazil exported 229,000 tonnes –...
According to the latest data revealed by the Shanghai Metals Market, China produced 5.86 million tonnes of alumina in February 2021, marking the second consecutive month of decline, albeit slower than the previous month. In January, China’s alumina production was at 5.90 million tonnes, meaning the output in February declined by 0.68 per cent month-on-month compared to the downfall of 1 per cent in the previous month from 5.96 million tonnes in December 2020. China’s February alumina output included 5.65 million tonnes of metallurgical-grade alumina, which reflected a decrease of 0.70 per cent from 5.69 million tonnes in January 2021. However, the daily output recorded a month-on-month surge of 9.89 per cent to 201,700 tonnes, driven by increased operating capacities in north China from a...
Altech Chemical, the high purity alumina producer confirmed that the results from first-phase testing of batteries that contain graphite particles coated with its proprietary high purity alumina coating technology remain positive. Test work will now advance to the next stage comprising further testing of battery charging and discharging with the focus of demonstrating repeatability and consistency. The Australia headquartered company lately accomplished initial-stage demonstrations of its technology which coats graphite particles typical of those used in anode applications within lithium-ion batteries with a nanolayer of high purity alumina, a product that Altech is looking to produce out of Malaysia from its long-life feedstock of kaolin in Western Australia. Altech said: “The initial...
