Hydro working to bring Alunorte to full capacity

Norway's Norsk Hydro is currently working to put a ninth filter press into operation at the company's Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil in a move to raise production to 85-95% of capacity.

Hydro's senior VP of media relations, Halvor Molland, told BNamericas on Monday that the status of Alunorte is the same as reported on July 23, when the company stated that the refinery reached 80-85% utilization capacity after a 14-month court-ordered stoppage, which was lifted on May 21.

"We're producing at the same levels and expect further production increases after we commission a ninth press filter," Molland said.

According to the VP, Paragominas is following the same ramp-up progress as Alunorte, supplying the refinery with bauxite, while [aluminum producing unit] Albras is ramping up their production continuing to restart idled pots.

Hydro, Brazil's largest alumina producer, was ordered by Pará state authorities to cut production at the refinery to 50% of its 6.3Mt/y capacity following reports of water supply contamination in the area after heavy rains in February last year.

Consequently, Hydro's Paragominas bauxite mine and Albras aluminum plant were also forced to reduce production by 50%, impacting the company's entire production chain in Brazil and affecting international prices of the metal.

RESIDUE DISPOSAL AREA

When asked if the Brazilian government had authorized the company to lift the embargoes on the new bauxite residue disposal area (DRS2) at Alunorte, Molland said that Hydro is in talks with the relevant authorities as regards continuing the DRS2 commissioning and start-up. 

"[But] we don't have a firm timeline for this," Molland added.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, Norsk Hydro also has operations in Argentina, Jamaica, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.