Norsk Hydro has announced today that Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil is expected to be able to ramp up to 50 percent capacity within two weeks. The refinery has on October 8 agreed with the environmental agency of the state of Pará, SEMAS, to restart production under SEMAS’ supervision. This follows the exceptional authorization by federal environmental agency IBAMA late on Friday to utilize press filter technology in the processing of bauxite residues, Hydro said in its press release.
John Thuestad, Head of Hydro’s Bauxite and Alumina business area said:“With firm documentation verifying the integrity of our bauxite residue disposal system when based on our press filter, and in alignment with SEMAS, we are now in a position to safely resume 50 percent operations at Alunorte.”
“This is a highly welcome development to secure thousands of jobs in Pará, as well as securing supply to our global customers and markets.”
Hydro continues its dialog with all relevant authorities to bring Alunorte back to full production and normalize its operations in Brazil.
The decision will also allow Hydro’s bauxite mine Paragominas and its joint-venture primary aluminium smelter Albras to continue producing at half capacity.
The alumina refinery has been operating at 50% capacity since March after state environmental authorities and the court ordered Alunorte to reduce production by 50%, federal environmental authorities ordered to stop commissioning of the new bauxite residue area (DRS2) and the press filter and the court also ordered to stop commissioning of the DRS2.
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