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| Sulphuric Acid on the WebTM | Technical Manual | DKL Engineering, Inc. |
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Knowledge for the
Sulphuric Acid Industry Introduction |
2010
Mitsubishi Materials May Run Smelters at Full
Capacity in Japan March 10, 2010 - Mitsubishi Materials Corp., Japan’s
third-largest copper producer, may run its two domestic smelters at full capacity in the
next fiscal year, in contrast to plans by two rivals to keep production cuts, an executive
said. “At the moment, that’s the plan,” Kenichi Watase, general
manager in the Tokyo-based company’s sales department, said in an interview today.
Watase declined to elaborate as the company expects to issue its output targets for April
to September early next month. The producer planned to make 300,000 metric tons in the
year ending March 31. Prices of copper, used in pipes and cables, more than doubled
in the past year as the global economy recovered from its worst postwar recession. BHP
Billiton Ltd. and Freeport- McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. won a 38 percent cut in 2010
processing fees from smelters as raw material supplies tightened after China expanded
capacity. Pan Pacific Copper Co. and Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. have said they may
keep production cuts in the year from April 1 because of the lower fees. Mitsubishi
Materials operates the Onahama smelter, to the north of Tokyo, with a capacity of 258,000
tons, and the Naoshima smelter, in western Japan, with 225,000 tons. The company has a 50
percent stake in the Onahama smelter. The company “is flexible on adjusting
production based on the market situation in coming months” given the reduced fees and
uncertain demand outlook at home and abroad, Watase said. “We don’t know whether
a recovery in demand from the auto sector will continue after subsidies end later this
year.” “After domestic demand plunged last
year to the lowest level since 1975, we’ve seen a recovery in some sectors, including
cars and semiconductors, not from overall industries,” in recent months, Watase said.
The Japanese government has extended the subsidy program, which was set to expire
at the end of March, for six months through September. Electric, hybrid, natural-gas, and
some diesel vehicles qualify for an exemption from the country’s weight and purchase
taxes. Exports to China “will depend on Chinese government policies and the
price difference between the Shanghai market and the London Metal Exchange,” Watase
said. “In my personal view, China’s demand growth would remain steady this year.” Asked if Mitsubishi Materials saw any change
in the market for sulfuric acid, a byproduct for copper smelting, Watase said demand has
recovered from fertilizer makers and mining companies. “We’ve seen good
demand for the fertilizer sector in North America as the planting season for grain crops
starts soon,” Watase said. Sulfuric acid supplies have been tight since early January
as demand jumped after a recession slashed stockpiles held by fertilizer makers and
mining, he said. The value of sulfuric acid, used to dissolve metal ore and produce
fertilizer, has gone from worthless to “crazy” this year, increasing costs for
mining companies, according to London-based researcher CRU Group said. Demand from
fertilizer makers, normally about half of world sulfuric acid consumption, has risen as
higher prices for their products prompted companies to rebuild stocks, Joanne Peacock, an
analyst at CRU, said March 8. Doe Run Peru reach a positive Letter of Intent with Glencore March 1, 2010
- Doe Run Peru S.R.L. has reached a Letter of Intent with Glencore to support the re-start
of metallurgical operations in La Oroya, Peru. Through this Letter of Intent,
Glencore will supply a line of credit that may be used as a working capital facility to
help re-start the La Oroya Metallurgical Complex and as part of the financing that will
allow for the completion of the Environmental Adjustment and Management Plan (PAMA) that
Doe Run Peru has agreed with the Government of Peru. This Letter of Intent has
closed an important step in the process to restart operations in La Oroya. Doe Run Peru
will continue to strengthen its efforts to make this re-start come true in the shortest
time possible. The company has ratified its intention to build a long term
solution to continue to meet its environmental commitments and further improve the quality
of life for the population and the future generations. Outotec to Deliver 116 Million Euro Copper Plant for Codelco in Chile March 1, 2010 - Outotec has signed a contract with Codelco for the design and delivery of a copper concentrate roasting plant, gas cleaning system and sulfuric acid plant for Codelco’s new Mina Ministro Hales mine close to Calama, Northern Chile. The contract price is approximately EUR 116 million. Outotec’s turn-key plant delivery includes basic and detail engineering, proprietary and process equipment, installation and start up services. Outotec and Codelco also signed a Memorandum of Understanding for two years’ operation and maintenance of the new plant. The new plant will treat annually up to 550,000 tonnes of copper concentrate and it will produce approximately 250,000 tonnes of sulfuric acid. The plant is scheduled to be commissioned in early 2012. “Codelco, the world’s largest copper producer, has been our business partner for decades. The company has high standards for operational safety and environmental requirements. This significant order demonstrates their confidence in the sustainability of our technologies and project execution competence”, says Pertti Korhonen, President and CEO of Outotec. |
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