Alcoa: Brazil Bauxite Mine Being Commissioned, Shipments Soon
July 09 2009 - 8:31AM
Dow Jones News
U.S. aluminum producer Alcoa Inc. (AA) said late Wednesday its
Juruti bauxite mine in Brazil is in the process of being
commissioned, with the first shipment expected within the next 90
days, the company noted.
Juruti, located in the heart of the Amazon in the west of the
state of Para, is expected to initially produce 2.6 million metric
tons of bauxite annually, and will supply the needs of Alcoa's
joint venture at the Alumar alumina refinery in Sao Luis, Maranhao
state.
Alumar has already begun to produce its first alumina and is on
target for ramp-up to full production during the second half of the
year.
Alcoa has a 54% stake in Alumar through its Alcoa World Alumina
and Chemicals joint venture with Alumina Ltd. (AWC.AU), in which
Alcoa holds a 60% interest.
BHP Billiton PLC (BHP) meanwhile has a 36% interest in Alumar
and Rio Tinto Alcan, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto PLC (RTP), has the
remaining 10% stake.
Around four tons of bauxite makes two tons of alumina, which is
then smelted to make around one ton of aluminum metal.
-By Andrea Hotter, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0)20 7842 9413;
andrea.hotter@dowjones.com