Romain GIRBAL, General Manager of IB2 , a Paris based innovative solution provider that works towards producing alumina with low grade bauxite announced the launch of an innovative and breakthrough technology for low grade bauxite refining during the Bauxite & Alumina Conference that took place in Miami, USA on 25-27 December.

“We are happy to announce that after several years of development and testing we came up with an innovative and easy to implement technology that will answer the multiples challenges faced by the industry. IB2 will allow alumina refineries to process low-grade bauxite generating less red muds and allowing huge operating expenses consuming less raw material,” Romain GIRBAL said.

A dedicated team of 10 experienced professionals with experience in Bayer process and diasporic bauxites have been working towards addressing multiple challenges faced by the alumina refining and aluminium smelting sector because of depleting bauxite reserve and also because of low quality or declining bauxite quality in the existing reserves.

The team has observed the growing demand for bauxite driven by growing aluminium production and consumption. Supply constraints of good quality bauxite have created problems for a number of alumina refineries despite the availability of bauxite. So the company worked on implementing a technology that would help extract alumina from low grade bauxite.  

“IB2 was developed to allow the process and valuation of low-grade bauxite ores. Curbed by the environmental and financial constraints involved by the exploitation of low-grade bauxite, refineries have so far preferred to import bauxite. IB2 is real game changer for them: while securing their supply, refineries will adopt a profitable and environment friendly solution,” added Romain GIRBAL.