Sulphuric Acid -
NEWS
Updated September 20, 2017
2017
ADEQ Smelter Permit Hearing Tomorrow
Southern Peru Copper Appoints Jacobs as EPC for No. 1 Acid Plant
Ravensthorpe nickel mine to close due to low market prices, 270 jobs
impacted
Truck overturns, spills 34 000ltrs of sulphuric acid
Peru to extend liquidation deadline for La Oroya smelter again
Chemical spill at Savannah's BASF plant sends 2 to hospital with burns
Xingfa awards DuPont contract for a 3600 tpd sulfuric acid plant in
China
Zhejiang Petroleum & Chemical Co. Awards DuPont Contract for MECS®
Sulfuric Acid Regeneration Unit
Peru to reevaluate environmental laws over La Oroya smelter
DuPont to Supply MECS® Technology and
Critical Equipment for Codelco's Two New Sulfuric Acid Plants
Teck Trail’s new acid plant;
Construction slated to begin
TikhvinChemMash to deliver tank cars for sulfuric acid to UMMC
Etihad Rail achieves key Stage One sulphur milestone
Potash Ridge Secures Long-Term Supply of Sulphuric Acid
Petrogres Backs Freeport`s Smelter Construction Plan
Outotec to deliver two sulfuric acid plants to Iran
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ADEQ Smelter Permit Hearing Tomorrow
September 20, 2017 - It is happening tomorrow night (Thursday September
21st ) in the Miami Town Hall beginning 6pm. This is when the Arizona
Department of Environmental Quality will be holding a public hearing on
its plans to issue a Renewal Permit for the continued operations of
Freeport McMoRan’s copper smelter near Miami. It was back in 2014
when Freeport announced it was planning a major smelter expansion
project at its Miami operations which the company said would increase
copper production and also comply with new tougher EPA standard.
The company went on to say upon completion of the project the copper
concentrate throughput for the Miami smelter would increase by
approximately 30 percent to a capacity of 900,000 tons per year from the
current average during this period of time which was some 700,000 tons
per year. According to the Arizona Silver Belt the expanded
smelter capabilities would comply with the new EPA ambient air quality
standards for sulfur dioxide emissions. In further details about
the copper smelter expansion project here a major component of the
expansion was to install a new smelting vessel which along with
modifications to other facilities in the smelter was to allow for
increased copper production. The local press was also told much of
the construction work would be related to emission control systems in
order to capture virtually all fugitive gases and particulate
emissions. The expected result would be the capture of over 99 percent
of the sulfur dioxide and other emissions from the Miami operations.
The new smelting vessel was scheduled to be commissioned in the second
quarter of this year ( 2017 ) with production ramping up shortly
thereafter. Up to several hundred construction workers were involved in
the expansion. The company said it had plans to hire about 20 new
employees to operate and maintain the new emission control systems and
facilities. To feed the expanded smelter here additional copper
concentrate was to come primarily from Freeport’,s mines at Morenci,
Arizona and Chino , New Mexico. Concentrate would continue to be coming
in from the company’s Serrita and Bagdad Arizona mines. Interested
persons who plan to go to the public hearing tomorrow night still have
time to view the ADEQ’s Draft Renewal of the Smelter Permit and other
documentation which are available for inspection at the Miami Town Hall
during regular business hours at 500 Sullivan Street in the Town of
Miami. Or this paper work can be reviewed directly from the ADEQ web
site. Oral and written comments will be taken from the public by
representatives of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
Grounds for comment are limited to whether the draft of the agency’s
smelter permit renewal meets criteria for issuance spelled out in the
state air pollution control laws or rules.
Southern Peru Copper Appoints Jacobs as EPC for No. 1 Acid Plant
August 29, 2017 - Jacobs Engineering Group
was selected by Southern Peru Copper to provide engineering, procurement
and construction (EPC) services for its No. 1 Acid Plant upgrade
project. SPCC operates one of the world’s largest copper
smelting/refinery facilities in Ilo, Peru, which is located
approximately 600 miles south of Lima. Jacobs will perform
modifications to the existing acid plant, decreasing its sulphur dioxide
(SO2) emissions while increasing sulphuric acid production
capacity through the use of Jacobs’ Chemetics sulphuric acid technology.
“Our successful relationship with Southern Peru Copper Corp. (SPCC)
spans more than 20 years,” said Jacobs Mining & Minerals and Specialty
Chemicals Senior Vice President and General Manager Andrew Berryman. “We
will provide our innovative Chemetics acid plant technology for this
project, complementing the two existing plants our teams previously
executed at the site, to further reduce SO2 emissions.
”In addition to the No. 1 Acid Plant project, Jacobs is performing a
feasibility study for SPCC in Lima for its power distribution system
that will enable the company to support future demand.
www.e-mj.com
Ravensthorpe nickel mine to close due to low market prices, 270
jobs impacted
August 9, 2017 -
Canadian mining giant First Quantum Minerals has announced it will
mothball its Ravensthorpe nickel operations in WA's south-east from
early next month because of low nickel prices. The Toronto-based
company employs about 270 people at the Ravensthorpe mine and the
closure will hit the community hard only months after devastating floods
ripped through the region. First Quantum said it would cost about
$10 million to enter care and maintenance, which should be in effect by
early October. The annual bill of maintaining the site is
estimated at $5 million. In a statement, First Quantum's chief
executive Philip Pascall described the decision as "disappointing".
"Ravensthorpe is an excellent operation with an outstanding workforce
and supportive community but the continuing depressed nickel market
conditions, over some years, leaves us no option," he said. "Over
the next few weeks we will work closely with our employees and key
contractors to mitigate the impact and manage carefully the staged
shutdown of operations. "We will be offering assistance to
employees in seeking further employment opportunities." However,
there is some hope for the mine, with First Quantum saying it would
continue to progress the permitting process at the Shoemaker Levy
orebody, along with regular review of the market conditions for a
potential restart of operations. To restart operations, should
favourable conditions prevail, is estimated at $10 million. The
closure comes just weeks after First Quantum posted back-to-back
quarterly losses. The company reported a $US18 million loss for
the June quarter, following a $US29 million loss in the March quarter.The
miner also revealed Ravensthorpe - at current metal prices - is making a
loss of more than a dollar on every pound of nickel it produces.
Ravensthorpe produced 11,512 tonnes of nickel at an all-in sustaining
cost of $US5.70 per pound for the six months to June 30. Global
miner BHP spent about $US3 billion building and commissioning the
facility in late 2008, before the global financial crisis forced its
closure only months later. First Quantum bought the mine for
$US340 million in 2010 and restarted operations in 2011. There has
long been speculation about the future of Ravensthorpe, one of only two
nickel laterite mines operating in WA, alongside Glencore's Murrin
Murrin mine near Laverton. First Quantum produced 23,624 tonnes of
nickel last year, most of which came from Ravensthorpe following the
$US712 million sale of the Kevitsa mine in Finland.The State
Government said it would seek to assist those who will be laid off, with
Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston saying he had been directed
to launch a taskforce to help find those workers employment elsewhere
within the industry. "The Government will see whether we can work
with these displaced employees to see whether they can get positions in
expansion projects in the gold and lithium sector," Mr. Johnston said.
He admitted other nickel mines in WA were "under pressure" as a result
of tough market conditions but expressed confidence the futures of the
largest of those are secure. Mr. Johnston was hopeful the
Ravensthorpe mine would operate again. "They are hopeful the mine
will come back into production within two or three years because they
believe the nickel market will come back," he said. Premier Mark
McGowan said he had a "great deal of sympathy" for the impacted workers
and said as much support as possible would be offered.
Truck overturns, spills 34 000ltrs of sulphuric acid
July 26, 2017 - A ZAMBIAN truck overturned
near Cross Dete along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road on Monday,
spilling 34 000 litres of deadly sulphuric acid. Police officer
commanding Hwange district, Chief Superintendent Newton Mutomba
confirmed the accident and said efforts were underway to detoxify the
area. He said the accident occurred on Monday afternoon at
Gulalembila, about 35km from Cross Dete. The truck was heading towards
Zambia. “The accident happened on Monday when a Zambian truck
driver lost control and veered off the road,” Mutomba said. “The
tank’s lid burst and contents poured out, contaminating the area.
“The Environmental Management Agency and Civil Protection Unit are on
the ground monitoring the situation and doing awareness campaigns to
ensure that people are safe.” There were no serious injuries,
police said. The truck is still on the side of the road, where it is
lying on its side. Witnesses claimed the driver was speeding, as
he was racing with other trucks.
Peru to extend liquidation deadline
for La Oroya smelter again
July 26, 2017 - Peru's nearly
100-year-old polymetallic smelter La Oroya failed to draw any offers on
Wednesday in the last of six scheduled auctions, delivering a blow to
President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski's plans to expand the Andean country's
metals refining capacity.Kuczynski had extended the liquidation deadline
for La Oroya a year ago and vowed to do his best to revive it. But no
one tried to buy the smelter in auctioning that started in March, even
after the government raised sulfur dioxide emission limits to reduce the
cost of upgrades.La Oroya will be liquidated unless Kuczynski extends
the deadline again, said Pablo Peschiera, director of consulting
firm Dirige that has been tasked with finding a new operator.Dirige has
asked Kuczynski for another year to try to find a buyer, Peschiera said,
adding that investors are still concerned about potential liability for
pollution in surrounding soils.The town of La Oroya next to the smelter
was once named one of the 10 most polluted places in the world by the
group the Blacksmith Institute. Hundreds of children in La Oroya have
been found to have dangerous levels of lead in their blood.Earlier this
month, the environment ministry asked for input from the public on
possible changes to rules on polluted sites."That (proposed) norm is
extensive and will require a study by us and by investors as well," said
Peschiera. "There wasn't enough time to overcome" the obstacles.The
failed bid to sell La Oroya sets back Kuczynski's goal of raising the
value of Peru's mineral exports by refining more concentrates at home.
Kuczynski has said he hoped to revive La Oroya while encouraging
investors to build a new smelter near Peru's southern coast.Peru is the
world's No.2 copper, zinc and silver producer.Doe Run Peru, controlled
by New York billionaire Ira Rennert's Renco Group, was La Oroya's most
recent owner, but it went bankrupt in 2009 without finishing mandatory
upgrades. The smelter is now controlled by Doe Run's former creditors
Chemical spill at Savannah's BASF plant sends 2 to hospital with
burns
June 16, 2017 - Two people are recovering from chemical burns after an
early morning sulfuric acid spill at Savannah's BASF Chemical plant on
President Street. Firefighters say those workers were using
a hose to transfer sulfuric acid from one tank to another and that the
hose sprang a leak.Hazmat crews decontaminated those workers on-site
before sending them to the hospital for treatment. No word on
their conditions right now but look for updates as we learn more.
Xingfa awards DuPont contract for a 3600 tpd sulfuric acid plant
in China
May 17, 2017 - Yidu Xingfa Chemical Co. Ltd (Xingfa) has awarded DuPont
Clean Technologies contracts for the engineering and technology license
for a 3600 tpd MECS® MAX3™ sulfuric acid plant. This project will make
the Xingfa sulfuric acid plant one of the largest in China. Xingfa
is expanding its existing site, located in the Hubei province near
Yichang city, with the aim of roughly doubling the phosphate fertilizer
capacity. The new MECS® MAX3™ sulfuric acid plant will process 1.2
million tpy of sulfuric acid, as well as support the production of an
additional 400,000 tpy of phosphoric acid, 400,000 tpy DAP and 35,000
tpy of potassium phosphate monobasic. The new MECS® MAX3™ sulfuric
acid plant will enable the Xingfa site to meet or exceed the Chinese
Ministry of Environmental Protection’s strict emission requirements,
which govern the location in the sensitive Yangtze river basin
area.“DuPont Clean Technologies is very pleased to be providing its
proprietary MECS® MAX3™ technology for Xingfa’s expansion project to
enable the company to become one of the most efficient fertilizer
producers in China. This MAX3™ sulfuric acid plant is not only a
significant step for both DuPont and Xingfa, but also for the sulfuric
acid industry,” said Eli Ben-Shoshan, president of DuPont Clean
Technologies, “Never before has sulfuric acid technology delivered more
value to the end user. MAX3™ not only offers sulfuric acid plants
savings in water usage, time and money, but it also allows them to
recover more energy while achieving best-in-class emission levels.”The
MAX3™ sulfuric acid plant for Xingfa’s expansion project will have both
high pressure and intermediate pressure steam generation that will be
used to produce electricity and provide heat to the plant. The MAX3™
sulfuric acid plant combines a suite of technologies, including two
recent technology breakthroughs – SolvR® and SteaMax™ heat recovery – in
a revolutionary simplified sulfuric acid flow scheme.The Xingfa
configuration will produce more than 1.5 t of high pressure steam per
tonne of acid, which is an increase of more than 25% over conventional
acid plant technologies. SolvR® is the second-generation regenerative
technology which demonstrated best in class SO2 emission
abatement at the first commercial installation.MECS® MAX3™ technology is
on the leading edge and further advances DuPont Clean Technologies’
commitment to delivering value to producers of sulfuric acid. This is
the first time a sulfuric acid technology has been able to deliver this
level of heat recovery, emission performance and favourable capital
expense. Furthermore, MECS® MAX3™ sulfuric acid plants are designed for
a high on-stream time to avoid disrupting the downstream phosphoric acid
production while also providing best in class SO2emission abatement in
compliance with local and country environmental requirements.
Zhejiang Petroleum & Chemical Co. Awards DuPont Contract for
MECS® Sulfuric Acid Regeneration Unit
April 12, 2017 - Zhejiang Petroleum and Chemical Co. (ZPC) in
China has awarded and signed contracts for the engineering, technology
license and proprietary equipment for a MECS® sulfuric acid regeneration
(SAR) unit, licensed by DuPont Clean Technologies. ZPC is
constructing a greenfield refinery and petrochemical project on Dayushan
Island, just off the coast of eastern China, near Shanghai and Ningbo.
The USD 15 billion project is the largest privately led petrochemical
and refining project in China’s history. The project will be executed in
two phases with the first phase coming online in late 2018. After
completion, the complex will have a refining capacity of 40 million
tonnes/year, or 800,000 barrels per day. The MECS® SAR unit for
the ZPC petrochemical complex will have a capacity to regenerate 858
metric tons of spent sulfuric acid. The unit will produce a combination
of products consisting of 98.3 wt% sulfuric acid, 99.2 wt% sulfuric
acid, and 20% oleum. Furthermore, the MECS® SAR unit is designed to meet
the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection’s current emission
requirements for SO2, NOx and sulfuric acid mist. Jason Hartman, global
market specialist for the MECS® SAR technology said, “China’s Ministry
of Environmental Protection has enacted some of the most stringent point
source emission requirements in the world. DuPont Clean Technologies is
uniquely positioned to meet these new standards through enhancements to
our MECS® SAR technology. These enhancements include the MECS®
Vectorwall™ furnace, DynaWave® scrubbing and Brink® mist eliminators.
When built, the SAR unit at ZPC’s petrochemical complex will achieve
world-class environmental emissions, reliability and on-stream time.”
Peru to reevaluate environmental laws over
La Oroya smelter
April 12, 2017 - Peru’s environment ministry has proposed
modifying laws restricting sulfur dioxide emissions to attract buyers
for a century-old poly-metallic smelter. The Doe Run owned smelter
and neighboring Cobriza copper mine priced together at $100 million have
failed to find buyers at three auctions in a time of low commodity
prices. Analysts say restrictive environmental regulations make the La
Oroya assets unviable in an area cited as one of the most polluted in
the world. The smelter requires upgrades costing over $700 million.
A new resolution proposes ten modifications including raising the sulfur
dioxide limit from 20 to 250 micrograms per square foot, in line with
regulations in Colombia, Chile and Mexico. The World Health Organization
(WHO) guideline is 20 micrograms per cubic meter. “The World
Health Organization recommends the limit of 20 as a target value, as an
ideal value, but it also establishes intermediate values. No country in
the world has 20. This proposal is more in line with reality,”
environment minister Marcos Alegre told Gestion. Alegre added that
the new standard will generate greater competitiveness in Peru’s economy
and “also protects health.” The La Oroya district in Peru’s
highland Junin state, home to 1,600 La Oroya workers, will likely be
abandoned if the smelter and mine operations fail. President Pedro
Pablo Kuczynski has vowed
to save the smelter while diversifying Peru’s mining
sector from production to
value-added services. The request to ease environmental regulation
comes from workers and potential investors suggesting that both
are awaiting the regulation change while
the government schedules more auctions before August. Current owner Doe
Run went bankrupt after the 2008 global financial crisis. The La
Oroya district found infamy after TIME magazine ranked it on its list of
“The World’s Most Polluted Places.” The health ministry revealed 99% of
its children have over three times the safety level of lead in their
blood. The toxic metal damages mental development and causes comas,
convulsions and death. According to a study by the WHO in Hong
Kong where large-scale reductions in sulfur dioxide have been a success,
decreasing child respiratory diseases and all-age mortalities.
DuPont to Supply MECS® Technology and Critical Equipment for
Codelco's Two New Sulfuric Acid Plants
March 31, 2017 - MECS Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of DuPont, has
been selected to supply the sulfuric acid production technology for two
new plants belonging to Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile
(Codelco), the world's largest copper producer. The MECS technology will
treat off-gas from the Chuquicamata Copper Smelter Complex in the
Antofagasta region of northern Chile. Longtime MECS partner,
SNC-Lavalin, will provide detailed engineering, procurement and
construction services for the new plants each of which is expected to
produce 2048 t/d of market-grade sulfuric acid. These plants will
replace existing facilities which have become environmentally obsolete.
"MECS technology for Chuquicamata will be designed and custom-built to
address the site's specific needs, especially achieving world-class low
emissions and high reliability," said Kirk Schall, executive vice
president, MECS. "We are delighted that our best-in-class sulfuric acid
production technology will help Codelco's Chuquicamata site realize its
short- and long-term emissions targets while supporting the sustainable
production of the Antofagasta region's most valuable resources. MECS
looks forward to partnering with both Codelco and SNC through start-up
and with Codelco throughout the life of the new facilities."
Construction of the two new plants will begin in 2017 and is expected to
be completed the following year.
Teck Trail’s new acid plant;
Construction slated to begin
March 23, 2017 - Structural element of the new $174 million acid plant
at Teck Trail Operations are expected to start taking shape in a few
weeks. Three buildings from the 1960’s and ‘70s have been torn
down to make way for the No. 2 acid plant, a carbon copy of the first
emissions reducing plant Teck constructed in 2014. “The project is
progressing on schedule”, says Community Relations Leader Catherine
Adair. “We have completed demolition and the majority of
excavation. Foundation work is expected to begin in early April.”
HilTech Contracting and CIMS were awarded the contracts for demolition
and site prep, the primary equipment supplier is the same company used
for the previous build. “The main equipment supplier for the
project will be the same supplier as the No. 1 acid plant completed in
July 2014”, Adair confirmed. “as the new plant will be a replica
of the previously constructed plant”. Teck estimates approximately
650,000 hours of construction labour will be required to complete the
build, which equates to about 160 jobs during construction.
“Contractor selection for foundation work, mechanical, structural and
electrical work is currently underway”, Adair sadi. “And other
smaller contracts will be selected throughout the construction.
“The No. 2 acid plant is scheduled to become operational in the summer
of 2019. Over the last 20 years Teck has made significant
investments to improve environmental performance at the Trail smelter,
which is one of the largest zinc and lead smelting and refining
operations in the world. Notably, the company’s latest air quality
summary to the Trail Health and Environment Committee showed that 2016
had the lowest annual average for lead and arsenic ever recorded in
community air. “The new acid plant represents an important
investment in the ongoing sustainability and long-term future of Trail
Operations”, Adair added. “The new acid plant will significantly
improve operating reliability and flexibility, reducing downtime and
maintenance costs”. SO2 (sulphur dioxide) emissions are projected to
reduce a further five percent in addition to the 15 percent reduction in
emissions realized from the 2014 installation of the No. 1 acid plant.
The acid plants are part of the process that converts sulphur from feed
materials into useful products such as fertilizer.
TikhvinChemMash to deliver tank cars for sulfuric acid to UMMC
March 6, 2017 - CJSC TikhvinChemMash (part of RPC United Wagon
Co.) has won a tender of JSC Sredneuralsk Copper Smelter and JSC
Svyatogor (part of Ural Mining Metallurgical Co. [UMMC]) for the supply
of 24 tank cars for sulfuric acid. Rolling stock has already been
dispatched to metallurgical enterprises. New generation tank cars
are equipped with running gear with increased axle load 25 tonne-force.
Due to the increased up to 77 short t payload capacity tank car
transports by 10% more freight than standard counterparts. Tank car tank
design with a ‘broken’ axis ensures achieving maximum draining of the
tank.First Tikhvin tank cars of model 15-9545 for sulfuric acid were
received by Sredneuralsk Copper Smelter operational use at the end of
2015. Regular exchange of operational use in real conditions made it
possible to take into account the customer’s wishes and tailor the tank
cars to the metallurgical plant specific features. Thanks to the
successful experience of tank cars operational use and freight traffic
efficiency of this rolling stock UMMC was able to take a decision on a
further replenishment of its fleet with TikhvinChemMash tank cars.Alexey
Kukushkin, Deputy Director for Commercial and Financial Issues at JSC
Sredneuralsk Copper Smelter, said: “For us it is vital to enhance
transport security of supplies of the plant products. Not so long ago we
updated our automobile fleet with transport means possessing modern
control systems and advanced ergonomics. Today our goal is to replenish
freight cars fleet. When choosing a rolling stock, its failure-free
operation and high efficiency of freight traffic in it play a crucial
role. UWC tank cars meet our requirements in terms of these indicators.”
www.worldfertilizer.com
Etihad Rail achieves key Stage One
sulphur milestone
February 18, 2017 - Etihad Rail, the
developer and operator of the UAE's multi-billion dollar fully
integrated national railway network, has since commencing Stage One
operations, transported 10 million tonnes of granulated sulphur for the
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) as of February 10, from sources
at Shah and Habshan to its point of export at Ruwais. Since having
received approval for commercial operations from the Federal Transport
Authority’s (FTA) – Land and Maritime in December 2015, two trains move
along the Stage One network daily under the current timetable, each
carrying up to 11,000 tonnes of granulated sulphur. To date, the
monthly average tonnage of sulphur transported stands at 410,000 tonnes,
with the seven million tonne mark having been surpassed at the end of
August 2016. “The Etihad Rail project is emblematic of our zest
for sustainable development, fostering innovation, and unsurpassed
commitment toward revolutionising the UAE’s socio-economic landscape,”
remarked Faris Saif Al Mazrouei, the chief executive of Etihad Rail.
The 1,200-km-long Etihad Rail network is part of the government’s plans
to invest in excellent transport infrastructure, with the aim being to
further strengthen the UAE’s position as a leading logistics hub,
facilitating connectivity between trading partners in the region and
beyond, through integration with key ports of the Gulf and Arabian seas.
Stretching a distance of 264-km, Stage One links the sulphur sources of
Shah and Habshan to the export point of Ruwais via the Mirfa depot.
Built to international standards, Stage One utilises seven
state-of-the-art locomotives from US-based Electro-Motive Diesel, with
wagons supplied by China’s CSR Corporation. Etihad Rail is being
developed in line with the core tenets of Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030
and UAE Vision 2021, which collectively call for economic
diversification through strategic initiatives set to bolster UAE
socio-economic growth. "Stage One’s continued progress underpins
our vision to create significant benefits to the UAE through a faster,
safer and more reliable alternative transport system," remarked Al
Mazrouei. "Transporting high volumes of sulphur per year is only
the beginning of our efforts to expand the UAE’s logistics capabilities
when transferring goods and raw materials from their source points to
their final destinations," he added. At full capacity, Stage One
of Etihad Rail is poised to transport more than seven million tonnes of
granulated sulphur annually. TradeArabia News Service
Potash Ridge Secures Long-Term Supply of Sulphuric Acid
January 30, 2017 - Potash Ridge Corporation (the "Corporation")
(TSX:PRK), a near term producer of premium fertilizer in North America,
today announced that is has signed a five year agreement with a major
North American supplier for 100% of the Corporation's sulphuric acid
requirements for its Valleyfield Project ("Valleyfield") in Valleyfield,
Quebec. Valleyfield is a planned 40,000 tonne per year potassium
sulphate ("SOP") fertilizer production facility that will utilize the
proven Mannheim Process."This supply agreement secures the supply and
price of our second largest raw material input cost for the long-term,"
said Guy Bentinck, President and Chief Executive Officer. "The next
steps to constructing Valleyfield will be permitting, finalizing the $50
million financing requirement, and securing SOP off-take agreements, all
of which are expected in early 2017."This five-year agreement is
effective upon commencement of Valleyfield's operations. Construction is
scheduled to start in early 2017, with commissioning anticipated nine to
twelve months after construction start-up.Valleyfield's production of
SOP will serve the growing market demand for low-chloride fertilizers
for a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and other chloride intolerant
crops in eastern Canada and throughout the U.S. eastern seaboard.
Petrogres Backs Freeport`s Smelter
Construction Plan
January 6, 2017 - State-owned fertilizer
company PT Petrokimia Gresik (Petrogres) has expressed its support for
PT Freeport Indonesia’s plans to build a smelter. The construction is
aimed at achieving national food self-sufficiency, particularly through
provision of subsidized fertilizer.“Because smelting waste product, i.e.
sulfuric acid can be used by the company as raw material for NPK
fertilizer,” PT Petrokimia Gresik (PG) president director Nugroho
Christijanto said in a written statement received by Antara on
Thursday.According to him, the company is committed to support PT
Freeport Indonesia’s (PTFI) plan to build a smelting plant in PT
Petrokimia Gresik industrial area. The company, he said, is ready to
accommodate sulfuric acid produced in PTFPI mineral processing, meaning
that PTFI will indirectly help enhance national food self-sufficiency
program.He said that PTFI’s planned smelter project, with expected
capacity of smelting waste product of two million tons per annum, at PG
industrial area may have a huge potential and could be integrated with
the existing smelter plant belonging to PT Smelting.Based on a land
lease agreement PG and PTFI entered into in June 2015, PG is responsible
for provision of 80 hectares of land for PTFI smelter project. The
company has already secured the land.PG also has supporting
infrastructure, such as a loading dock, abundant water supply, etc.“Land
availability, legality, infrastructure, waste product processing
capacity, the extent of additional benefits, are the key points to speed
up smelter construction process needed by PTFI,” Nugroho said.PG’s total
production currently stands at 7.73 million tons per annum, comprising
of fertilizer products of 4.44 million tons per annum and non-fertilizer
(ammonia, sulfuric acid, phosphate acid, gypsum) of 3.29 million tons
per annum.To meet production requirements, the company needs sulfuric
acid as raw material, among others. The PG has been using sulfuric acid
produced by PT Smelting amounting to 980,000 tons per annum.
Outotec to deliver two sulfuric acid plants to Iran
January 2017 -
Outotec has agreed with National Iranian Copper Industries Company
(NICICO) on the delivery of two sulfuric acid plants for the Sarcheshmeh
and Khatoon Abad copper smelters in the Kerman province in Iran. The
value of the orders, approximately EUR 50 million, has been covered by a
confirmed Letter of Credit and booked in Outotec's Q4/2016 order intake.
Outotec's scope of delivery includes engineering, main process equipment
and instrumentation for the acid plants as well as spare parts and
supervisory services for installation and commissioning. Outotec's
deliveries will take place in mid-2018.
"We are pleased to complement our earlier deliveries of Flash Smelting
technology for NICICO's two copper smelters with modern Outotec off-gas
cleaning systems and sulfuric acid plants. With these investments, the
smelters will have full compliance with the latest environmental
standards", says Kalle Härkki, head of Outotec's Metals, Energy & Water
business unit.
