Sulphuric Acid - NEWS
Updated December 19, 2007

2007

SNC-Lavalin wins contract for Acid Plant
DuPont to pay $250,000 for pollution violations
Japan to build fertiliser complex in Jordan
Outotec to supply a complete zinc roasting line for Votorantim Metais in Peru
Nyrstar Completes Transfer of Zinc and Lead Smelting Assets from Umicore and Zinifex 
Outotec to supply technology for a zinc smelter in Bulgaria
Doe Run Peru Begins Engineering on Third Sulfuric Acid Plant in La Oroya; New $71 Million Plant Expected to Help Further Reduce Emissions
Bateman Engineering wins 100 mln usd contract with Dynatec Madagascar
Doe Run Peru Begins Construction of Sulfuric Acid Plant for La Oroya Lead Circuit
Agreement signed to manufacture chemical fertilisers in Jordan
Punj Lloyd Group signs up for new AHF/AIF3 plant in UAE
DuPont agrees to spend $66 million to reduce air pollution at four plants
Xstrata starts P4 expansion works at Altonorte – Chile
FACT to close down Caprolactum, Ammonium Sulphate plants
Outotec Wins 270 Million Euro Order for Sulphuric Acid Plant in Saudi Arabia
Doe Run Peru Begins Sulfuric Acid Plant for La Oroya Lead Circuit
Rhodia ordered to make changes at eight sulfur plants
Outokumpu Technology is Now Outotec
Kalgoorlie miner fined over sulphur dioxide levels
Sulphur shippers seek speedy stop to strike
Kinder Morgan to Purchase Terminal Assets at the Port of Vancouver, Canada
Codelco aims to grow Gaby reserves - Chile
Trial date set for CVRD Inco
Adisseo Group Acquires Rhodia's Products
New Gas Analyser Checks Effects of Flue Gas SO3
Iran’s Comprehensive Copper Development Plan Unveiled

SNC-Lavalin wins contract for Acid Plant

December 12, 2007 - TORONTO - SNC-Lavalin has won a $60-million contract from a division of Glencore International AG to handle engineering and procurement for a sulphuric acid plant in eastern Kazakhstan.  The acid plant, part of Glencore unit Kazzinc JSC's new copper smelter, will capture sulphur dioxide from the smelting process and use the gas to make sulphuric acid.  SNC said Wednesday that work is set to start immediately and the plant is to enter full operation in late 2009.

DuPont to pay $250,000 for pollution violations

December 10, 2007 - Faulty pollution calculations will cost the DuPont Co. more than $250,000 in fines and penalties at its sulfuric acid recycling plant near Delaware City, under a settlement plan released by state officials today.  Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control officials said DuPont’s Red Lion acid plant, inside Valero's Delaware City Refinery, consistently released more nitrogen oxides than its permit allowed since mid-2006. Nitrogen oxide pollution helps to form smog and fine soot, environmental and health problems that Delaware has worked to reduce for years.  DNREC’s permit for the plant limited the company to 12.2 tons of nitrogen oxides for any 12 month period. State tests showed that plant releases ranged from 13 to 16.1 tons annually.  DuPont officials blamed the higher rates on mistaken use of pollution rates at a similar plant in another state to estimate emissions from the Red Lion operation. Company officials have since requested a 9.8 ton per year increase, while offering to surrender 12 tons per year of pollution rights from the company’s closed Holly Run site. Carbon monoxide emissions also will be reduced at Delaware City by 10 tons per year.  “On balance, it’s a fair way to resolve the issue,” said plant manager John Jeffries.  DNREC agreed to consider the permit amendment, which could require a public hearing. The agency also required the company to pay a $50,000 fine, and to contribute $200,000 to a state program that supports the installation of pollution control systems on diesel trucks and buses.  DuPont’s operation replaced a refinery-owned complex that released far more sulfur dioxide gas and sulfate containing wastewater than the Red Lion operation.

Japan to build fertiliser complex in Jordan

October 18, 2007 - Jordan Phosphate Mines Company and Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation signed a deal to build a $300 million fertiliser complex to bolster the former's downstream push, industry executives said on Wednesday.  They told Reuters a memorandum of understanding was signed in Tokyo this week to proceed with constructing the complex near the main Shidiya phosphate mine, in the south of the kingdom.  The complex will have the capacity to produce 10,000 tonnes daily of phosphoric acid and 3,000 tonnes of sulphuric acid from the Shidiya mine that has an estimated 1.3 billion tonnes in deposits of phosphate rock, with at least 810 million proven.  The project, due to be constructed by 2010, will bolster the fortunes of JPMC, the world's sixth biggest phosphate producer, to process its large phosphate rock reserves.

Industry executives said it was not certain if the latest project cancels an earlier plan to enter into joint venture with Indian Farmers Fertilisers Coop (IFFC) of India to produce a phosphoric acid plant from the large deposits of Shidiya.  A MoU was reached last January with the Indian investors to build a similar $350 million project to produce 15,000 tonnes daily of phosphoric acid, all for export to the fast growing Indian markets.

Two joint venture projects with Japanese and Indian firms are already operational in Jordan.  A Japanese consortium comprising Mitsubishi Chemical and Asahi Industries already hold a majority 60% shareholding in JPMC's fertiliser complex in the Red Sea port city of Aqaba.  JPMC had also signed an initial agreement in May to build a $65 million fertiliser complex by 2009 with Bahrain-based Venture Capital Bank, an Islamic investment bank, and Jordan Arab Fertilisers and Chemicals Company.

Outotec to supply a complete zinc roasting line for Votorantim Metais in Peru

October 10, 2007 – Finland - Outotec has been awarded a contract to supply a new zinc roasting plant including gas cleaning and sulfuric acid plant on turnkey basis for Votorantim Metais to be built in Cajamarquilla, Peru. The contract value exceeds EUR 80 million. 
Votorantim Metais, one of the world's largest zinc producers, is planning to expand its annual zinc production in Peru by 160,000 tonnes to a total of 320,000 tonnes.
Outotec's scope of supply covers the roasting, gas cleaning and acid plant technologies, engineering, civil works, all process equipment, construction, supervision services as well as commissioning of the plant.  The delivery time is two years.
"This new zinc plant contract demonstrates our long relationship with Votorantim Metais. In 1977 we built the first zinc roaster in Cajamarquilla and it is still working at increased capacity", says Tapani Järvinen, CEO of Outotec, and adds: "In this second delivery we have a larger scope and are designing the whole roaster train, which brings additional benefits for the customer, such as improved energy recovery as well as reduced dust and sulfur dioxide gas emissions, which enhance the environmental conditions of the plant."

Nyrstar Completes Transfer of Zinc and Lead Smelting Assets from Umicore and Zinifex 

September 3, 2007 – Brussels, Belgium – Nystar today announced that as of 31 August 2007 it had taken ownership of the zinc and lead smelting and alloying assests of Umicore and Zinifex, thereby formally launching the company and creating the world’s largest zinc producer.

Outotec to supply technology for a zinc smelter in Bulgaria

August 29, 2007 – Finland - Outotec has been awarded a contract for the supply of a new zinc roaster with gas cleaning and sulfuric acid plant for OZK Kardzhali, the second biggest zinc smelter in Bulgaria. The contract value is approximately EUR 25 million.
Outotec's scope of delivery covers engineering and supply of the roasting, gas cleaning and acid technology as well as supervision services for the erection and commissioning of the plant. The mechanical completion of the project is scheduled for mid 2009.
The new zinc roaster is part of OZK Kardzhali's EUR 68 million investment program, which will double the production of high-grade zinc by 2009. The roaster train supplied by Outotec will replace the existing 50-years-old roasters of Russian design. Outotec's process not only increases the efficiency but also improves the energy recovery and environmental conditions of the smelter by reducing dust and sulfur dioxide gas emissions.

Doe Run Peru Begins Engineering on Third Sulfuric Acid Plant in La Oroya; New $71 Million Plant Expected to Help Further Reduce Emissions

August 29, 2007 - La Oroya, Peru - Doe Run Peru said Monday it has begun the engineering design phase of a $71 million sulfuric acid plant for the copper circuit at the company's La Oroya metallurgical facility.  The new plant, which is scheduled to be operational in late 2009, is expected to further reduce emissions at the La Oroya metallurgical complex and bring them well below governmental limits.  Earlier this year Doe Run Peru announced that lead and arsenic emissions from the 80-year-old facility are down to within monthly Peruvian environmental guidelines.  The new plant is the third and final stage of the last of nine projects encompassed under Doe Run Peru's environmental operating agreement with the Peruvian government (known by its Spanish acronym, PAMA). Earlier stages of the sulfuric acid project included upgrades to the zinc circuit plant (completed at the end of 2006) and the construction of the lead circuit plant (begun in July 2007).  
"Doe Run Peru continues to operate under agreed-upon timetables and remains committed to environmental awareness and operations that benefit the city and community of La Oroya," said Juan Carlos Huyhua, president and general manager of Doe Run Peru. Construction on the new copper circuit plant is estimated to be completed by October 2009. Doe Run Peru's first steps on the effort have included contracting industry leaders Fleck Chemical Industries Inc. and Aker Kvaerner to look into the specific engineering requirements necessary for the project, including the necessary teams, design, materials, control systems and instrumentation.  
So far, Doe Run Peru has invested more than $132 million on various environmental improvements, well in excess of the initial agreed-upon amount of $107.5 million. Once the PAMA projects are complete the company's related investment is expected to reach $244 million, nearly 2.4 times the initial figure.

Bateman Engineering wins 100 mln usd contract with Dynatec Madagascar

August 9, 2007 - LONDON - Bateman Engineering NV said it has signed a contract with Dynatec Madagascar SA worth about 100 mln usd to provide sulphuric acid facilities for its Ambatovy Nickel project in Madagascar.  The contract covers the design, engineering and procurement of a single sulphur melting and filtration circuit with two separate 2,750 tonnes per day sulphuric acid plants.  'This contract is the first 'greenfield' sulphuric acid plant to be built by Bateman Engineering in the recent past and therefore marks an important re-entry into this significant utility market ...,' chief executive Sivi Gounden said in a statement.  The process engineering will be undertaken in collaboration with Canadian technology company Noram Engineering and Constructors Ltd, who hold the underlying process technology. Bateman Engineering has a long-term technology licence agreement with Noram.  The engineering and procurement project will start immediately with mechanical completion of the first of the two sulphuric acid plants scheduled for September 2009.  The first sulphuric acid plant will be commissioned immediately thereafter and the second one about three months later.

Doe Run Peru Begins Construction of Sulfuric Acid Plant for La Oroya Lead Circuit

July 25, 2007 - La Oroya, Peru - Doe Run Peru has begun construction of a lead circuit sulfuric acid plant that will allow for the continued reduction of emissions of sulfur dioxide from the La Oroya smelter chimney, part of the company's continued commitment to improve air quality in La Oroya and meet its commitments with the Peruvian government and the local community. The plant is the second of three related sulfuric acid projects (the first for the zinc circuit, has already been completed; the second for the lead circuit; and the third for the copper circuit), which comprise the last of nine projects undertaken under Doe Run Peru’s environmental operating agreement with the government (known by its Spanish initials, PAMA).  “This project carries an investment of more than $29 million. Its operation will involve the completion of a series of complementary projects we are carrying out concurrently,” said Juan Carlos Huyhua, president and general manager of Doe Run Peru. Those projects include completing updates to the effluents treatment plan, the electric substation that will power the acid plant, and in particular, the construction of a warehouse and dispatch terminal for the sulfuric acid that is produced as the sulfur dioxide is drawn out of the plant, Huyhua added.  Once the lead circuit’s acid plant is operational, Doe Run Peru expects to significantly reduce its emissions of sulfur dioxide. Construction of the lead circuit plant is expected to be completed in September of 2008, according to a timetable approved by Peruvian government officials. Engineering work on the project began in October of 2006 and is being carried out by Fleck Chemical Industries of Canada and Graña y Montero of Peru. Equipment purchases for the facility began earlier this year.  Doe Run Peru’s total PAMA investment well surpasses the $107.5 million the company agreed to when it arrived to Peru in 1997. When all the projects are completed, which is on track for October of 2009, Doe Run Peru will have spent more than $244 million, approximately 2.3 times the original commitment.

Agreement signed to manufacture chemical fertilisers in Jordan

July 25, 2007 - AMMAN (Petra) — A Jordanian-Bahraini agreement for the establishment of a complex to manufacture chemical fertilisers was signed Wednesday.  The joint project will be established in Al Wadi Al Abeid, in the southern part of the Kingdom at a cost of $65 million.
Representatives of Bahrain's Venture Capital Bank (VCB), Jordan Phosphate Mining Company (JPMC) and Jordan Arab Fertilizers and Chemicals Co. Ltd. (JAFCCO) signed the agreement, in implementation of a memorandum of understanding that was signed during the this year's meetings at the Dead Sea World Economic Forum in this regard.
JPMC Chief Executive Officer Walid Kurdi said the industrial complex will include plants to produce 75,000 tonnes of sulphuric acid, 80,000 tonnes of potassium sulphate, 22,000 tonnes of phosphoric acid and 50,000 tonnes of calcium chloride.
"The project, which will provide around 300 job opportunities, will generate over $60 million in foreign currencies annually," Kurdi added, noting that work to set up a private shareholding company, to become the project owner, will begin right away.
Kurdi described the project as the fruit of cooperation and the strategic partnership between the Jordanian and the Gulf's private sectors to support joint economic action in line with the vision of His Majesty King Abdullah on promoting Arab investments in the Kingdom.

Punj Lloyd Group signs up for new AHF/AIF3 plant in UAE

July 21, 2007 - Simon Carves Limited, a subsidiary of Punj Lloyd Limited (PLL), a global EPC services provider in energy and infrastructure domains, has signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi based Gulf Fluor to provide a new Anhydrous Hydrofluoric Acid (AHF) / Aluminium Fluoride (AlF3) Plant incorporating a new Sulphuric Acid / Oleum Plant as part of a Dh2 billion Fluorides Complex to be built in UAE.
Swiss company BUSS CHEM TECH AG will provide the AHF/ AlF3 technology and critical equipment for the plant. The Sulphuric acid / Oleum Plant will be designed and supplied by Simon Carves, which will be main contractor for EPC phase.
The Fluorides Complex will be built in the second phase of the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICADII) and this project will serve the growing demand for aluminium fluoride, an important additive in the production of aluminium, in the region.  The complex will initially have 60,000 tonnes per annum of AlF3 and 10,000 tonnes per annum of AHF and is scheduled for completion in 2009.

DuPont agrees to spend $66 million to reduce air pollution at four plants

July 20, 2007 - Dallas, Texas - The Department of Justice and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement today with E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co. that is expected to reduce more than 13,000 tons of harmful emissions annually from four sulfuric acid production plants in Louisiana, Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky.
Du Pont will spend at least $66 million on air pollution controls at the plants and pay a civil penalty of $4.125 million under the Clean Air Act settlement. The states of Louisiana, Virginia and Ohio joined the federal government in today’s agreement and will receive shares of the civil penalty.
“This is another example of EPA’s commitment to ensuring that all people breathe healthier, cleaner air,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “When companies that are major contributors to air pollution take the initiative to install the best emissions control equipment, it benefits everyone. If they don’t, we must take action to protect the environmental health of our communities.”
The company will meet new, lower emission limits for sulfur dioxide at its sulfuric acid production units in Darrow, La.; Richmond, Va.; North Bend, Ohio; and Wurtland, Ky. At the Burnside plant in Darrow, the largest of the four, Du Pont will install state-of-the-art “dual absorption” pollution control equipment by Sept. 1, 2009, at an estimated cost of at least $66 million. At the other three plants, DuPont has the option of installing appropriate control equipment or ceasing operations to meet the new lower emission limits. The additional cost of installing control technologies at all of the remaining three plants, if Du Pont does so, is estimated to be at least $87 million. All four plants will meet their lower emission limits by March 1, 2012.
Du Pont is the second sulfuric acid manufacturer in the nation to agree to a company-wide global compliance agreement as part of an initiative under which the Justice Department and EPA expect to reach similar agreements with other sulfuric acid manufacturers. The first global sulfuric acid manufacturing compliance agreement was announced earlier this year with Rhodia Inc. As a result of the two settlements, this initiative has now garnered pollution control at 12 plants, which will eliminate a combined total of 32,000 tons of sulfur dioxide emissions per year. When fully implemented, the settlement with Du Pont will reduce sulfur dioxide emissions from the four plants by approximately 90 percent.
“This agreement demonstrates our commitment to a level playing field and compliance with the law in the sulfuric acid industry,” said Ronald J. Tenpas, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Environmental and Natural Resources Division. “Today’s settlement shows the high level of cooperation possible among the federal government, our local and state partners, and industry when all are committed to compliance and meaningful improvement of the environment.”
“Today’s settlement will reduce harmful air pollutants by more than 13,000 tons per year,” said Granta Y. Nakayama, EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “The actions taken today will ensure that those affected will be able to breathe a little easier knowing these pollutants will no longer be in the air.”
Du Pont’s plants produce acid by burning sulfur, creating sulfur dioxide. The sulfur dioxide is then converted to sulfur trioxide, which combines with water to form sulfuric acid. Air pollution is emitted when unconverted sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid mist are released to the atmosphere. Children, the elderly, and people with heart and lung conditions are the most sensitive to sulfur dioxide.
The government’s complaint, filed today with the consent decree, alleges that Du Pont made modifications to its plants which increased emissions of sulfur dioxide without first obtaining pre-construction permits and installing required pollution control equipment. The Clean Air Act requires major sources of air pollution to obtain such permits before making changes that would result in a significant emissions increase of any pollutant. Today’s settlement will ensure that future emissions will be reduced to a legally acceptable level.
The EPA is focusing on improving compliance among industries that have the potential to cause significant amounts of air pollution, including the cement manufacturing, glass manufacturing, and acid production industries.
The consent decree, lodged today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court. A copy of the consent decree is available on the Justice Department Web site at http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html. Du Pont is required to pay the penalty within 30 days of the court’s approval of the settlement.

Xstrata starts P4 expansion works at Altonorte – Chile

July 4, 2007 - Switzerland-based resources group Xstrata's (LSE: XTA) copper division has started construction of a phase 4 expansion at its Altonorte smelter in Chile's region II, according to a company statement.  The expansion has received approval by regional environmental authority Corema.  The US$58mn operational upgrade will raise output capacity by roughly 31%, from some 290,000t/y copper anode to 380,000t/y, with sulfuric acid output rising to 1.1Mt/y from 800,000t/y, according to Xstrata.  Altonorte is investing another US$14mn to install double contacts in its new sulfuric acid plant to increase the capture of emissions to 95.5% from 93%, bringing the total cost of the expansion to US$72mn.   Xstrata plans to invest a further US$28mn into various environmental upgrades for Altonorte over the next two years, including additional measures to capture emissions released into the atmosphere, and a smelter dust treatment plant.  The expansion is due to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2009.

FACT to close down Caprolactum, Ammonium Sulphate plants

July 3, 2007 – Kochi - Following a steep hike in the price of sulphur and rock phosphate, Fertiliser and Chemicals Travancore (FACT) is halting production at its Caprolactum and Ammonium Sulphate plants from this month, senior officials of the PSU said.  ''We have given directions for the two plants to be closed down.  There has been a 100 per cent increase in the cost of sulphur from US$89 a tonne to US$168, making the production cost unbearably high,'' senior FACT officials told UNI here today.  The price of another raw material, rock phosphate, had also gone up from US$79 to US$125.

The company's annual requirement of sulphur and rock phosphate is 200,000 tonnes and 300,000 tonnes respectively However, production at the main Factamfos plant, which has an annual production capacity of 700,000 tonnes would continue, the officials said.  While the production capacity of the Caprolactum plant is about 50,000 tonnes per year that of the Ammonium Sulphate plant is 200,000 tonnes.  FACT depends on sulphur imports from the Middle East, the US and Canada. 

''We will wait till the prices come down to a reasonable level before starting production at these two plants,'' Mr Raghavan added.

Outotec Wins 270 Million Euro Order for Sulphuric Acid Plant in Saudi Arabia

June 25, 2007 - Helsinki - Outotec said it has won an order to supply what will be the world's largest sulphuric acid production facility to Saudi firm Ma'aden.  Ma'aden is investing some 370 mln eur in the project, with contracts worth 270 mln going to Outotec.  The Finnish firm confirmed to Thomson Financial News in May it had secured a deal with Ma'aden.  The complex, comprising three plants, is to be built in the Ras al-Zour area on the east coast of Saudi Arabia and will produce some 13,500 tonnes per day of sulphuric acid when it comes onstream in 2010.  Outotec has chosen an unnamed construction firm to carry out the local portion of the work under a separate contract.

"This significant mega-size project further confirms our market leadership in sulfuric acid technologies. We have been a major designer and supplier of sulfuric acid plants through Lurgi Metallurgie - the company we bought in 2001 - for more than 80 years, with a track record of over 600 plants installed worldwide. This contract is also a proof of our capabilities in implementation and management of large industrial projects. Furthermore, this shows Middle East's growing importance in large chemical and metallurgical plant investments due to the availability of competitive energy and robust financial structures", says Tapani Järvinen, President and CEO of Outotec.

Doe Run Peru Begins Sulfuric Acid Plant for La Oroya Lead Circuit

May 29, 2007 – La Oroya, Peru - Doe Run Peru has begun the equipment purchasing process for a sulfuric acid plant designed to address health issues at its La Oroya metallurgical facility. The facility is scheduled to be completed in September of 2008.
Jose Mogrovejo, the company's vice president for environmental affairs, made the announcement to more than 300 residents of La Oroya and surrounding communities at the Third Annual Conference of Authorities and Communities of La Oroya. The plant is part of Doe Run Peru's environmental operating agreement (known by its Spanish acronym, PAMA) with the Peruvian government.
"The sulfuric acid plant for the lead circuit is part of the last of our PAMA projects and also includes the construction of plants for the copper circuit, which is expected to be running in October 2009, and the zinc circuit, which has been running since December of last year," Mogrovejo said. "We have estimated a total investment of more than $100 million in these projects."
Once the PAMA projects are complete, which is expected in 2009, the company's total investment on environmental issues is expected to reach $254 million, nearly 2.4 times the investment initially required under the agreement.
Doe Run Peru reported in April that an aggressive modernization campaign and other environmental projects had brought emissions of particulate matter and heavy metals, including lead, from the metallurgical facility's main stack within Peruvian governmental limits.  

Rhodia ordered to make changes at eight sulfur plants

April 26, 2007 – Rhodia will pay a $2 million penalty and spend about $50 million on air pollution controls at eight production plants in four states, including two in Houston, as part of a U.S. Department of Justice settlement over allegations that the company violated the Clean Air Act.  The pollution controls are expected to reduce harmful emissions from its production plants in Texas, Louisiana, California and Indiana by 19,000 tons per year.
The acid manufacturer, whose North American headquarters is in Cranbury, N.J., will meet new, lower emission limits for sulfur dioxide at its two Houston sulfuric acid production units, one at 8615 Manchester near the Ship Channel Bridge, and one at 6213 East Highway 332 in Freeport.  Rhodia will do the same at six other units: One in Baytown; two in Baton Rouge, La.; one each in Martinez and Dominguez, Calif.; and one in Hammond, Ind.  To meet these limits, the company will install state-of-the-art pollution control equipment at several plants and change operating procedures at several others.
The states of Indiana and Louisiana, California's Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the city of Hammond, Ind., joined the federal government in Thursday's agreement and will receive shares of the civil penalty.
The DOJ said Rhodia is the first sulfuric acid manufacturer in the nation to agree to a company-wide "global" compliance agreement. As a result of the actions, actual emissions at some of the Rhodia plants will decrease by more than 90 percent.
Rhodia's plants produce acid by burning sulfur-containing compounds, creating sulfur dioxide. The sulfur dioxide is then converted to sulfur trioxide, which combines with water to form sulfuric acid. Air pollution is created when "unconverted" sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid mist is released to the atmosphere.
The government's complaint alleges that Rhodia made modifications to its plants that increased emissions of sulfur dioxide without first obtaining pre-construction permits and installing required pollution-control equipment. The EPA requires major sources of air pollution to obtain such permits before making changes that would result in a significant emissions increase of any pollutant.  The consent decree, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court.  The company is required to pay the penalty within 30 days after the court approves the settlement and to begin meeting stricter emission limits at some of the plants by July 1.

Outokumpu Technology is Now Outotec

Finland - April 24, 2007 - Outokumpu Technology Oyj has changed its name to Outotec Oyj as of today.  New name Outotec unites all the company's businesses all over the world. Corporate logo, visual identity, website and e-mail addresses change accordingly. When Outokumpu Technology was listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange in October 2006, the company promised to change its name in order to distinguish itself from its former parent company Outokumpu. "Name Outotec reflects the company's development from Outokumpu's technology division, through expansion and several acquisitions, to an independent, listed company with own brand values and visual identity. We're known for innovativeness and environmentally sound proprietary technologies, many of which have become industry standards. The new name has a strong link to our past and the expertise our customers have learned to trust. Under name Outotec we will continue delivering 'More out of ore' to our stakeholders", Tapani Järvinen, President and CEO of Outotec, says.

Kalgoorlie miner fined over sulphur dioxide levels

April 19, 2007 - Mining company Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines has been fined $25,000 by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) for a breach of its operating licence nearly two years ago.  The penalty was issued over an incident in May 2005, when sulphur dioxide above permitted levels from the company's Gidji roaster was detected at Coolgardie, about 30 kilometres away in south-east Western Australia.  A DEC spokesman, Wayne Astill, says the levels recorded on the day were nearly twice as high as the licence limits.
He says a thorough investigation made the delay in implementing the fine unavoidable.
"The department's got to take a very professional and thorough investigation, which includes taking witness statements from a range of sources, including all the companies that could potentially be involved, the consultants they use in terms of their computer modelling, and examining the data," he said.
The company says it accepts the DEC's findings and will pay the fine.
It has released a statement saying it had publicly apologised to Coolgardie residents at the time and has since amended training and procedures.
The company says no adverse effects were reported or identified after the event and the sulphur dioxide levels would have been within levels accepted before they were lowered in 2005.

Sulphur shippers seek speedy stop to strike

 

OTTAWA, April 12, 2007 - The representative of more than 20 producers and shippers of sulphur in Western Canada is calling on all federal parties to protect jobs, health and safety and the environment, by immediately passing legislation that will bring a speedy end to the current CN rail labour disruptions.

The continued strike actions by members of the United Transportation Union (UTU) and lockouts by CN are damaging the economy and creating unacceptable risks, says Sultran Ltd., which serves Canada's sulphur producers, marketers and suppliers by transporting 6 million tonnes of solid sulphur from production point to port each year.

"This strike isn't just affecting shippers," says Lorne Friberg, President and CEO of Sultran. "It is affecting jobs, the economy, consumers and the environment. MPs must take quick action to protect Canadians and the Western economy."

Friberg explained that if Sulphur can't be transported by rail, the only options are to store the product on-site at plants or shut down oil and gas production. "From an environmental, safety or economic perspective, neither is a sustainable solution. It's essential that Parliament act now," he says.

In addition, Friberg warns that the continued rail disruptions jeopardize natural gas production. Sulphur is a co-product of natural gas, and the only way to stop sulphur production is to stop producing natural gas. "Cutting natural gas production will hurt the economy, hurt jobs and, most of all, hurt consumers," says Friberg. "We are still struggling to recover from the 14-day CN Strike this past February. These impacts are not weeks away, they are days away, unless Parliament takes action."

Continued disruptions will force plants to store sulphur on-site as formed product or in storage blocks. As plants reach critical inventory levels, sulphur production will have to be significantly curtailed, which could result in a serious decrease (or elimination) of natural gas production.

Friberg says that back-to-work legislation is nothing new, having been tabled in Parliament 31 times before now. In fact, the first federal back-to-work legislation ever passed ended the 1950 rail workers' strike, and railway back-to-work bills have been introduced on five subsequent occasions.

Canada is the world's largest exporter of sulphur, with exports worth close to one-half billion dollars annually. Sultran relies on rail to transport sulphur to two tidewater terminals in Vancouver, an average distance of 1400 km from each exporting plant. Eight sulphur-forming plants rely exclusively on CN Rail.

"We know that MPs can act swiftly if they want to protect jobs and the economy in Western Canada," Friberg says. "Six times before, back-to-work legislation has passed in a single day."

The bottom line? "This country was built by rail and our economy still depends on it," Friberg says. "Canadians need our MPs to act now to restore full, uninterrupted rail service."

 

Kinder Morgan to Purchase Terminal Assets at the Port of Vancouver, Canada

HOUSTON, April 3, 2007 - Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: KMP) today announced it has entered into an agreement to purchase and operate Vancouver Wharves, a bulk marine terminal, from British Columbia Railway Company, a crown corporation owned by the Province of British Columbia. The Vancouver Wharves facility, located at the entrance to the Port of Vancouver, consists of five vessel berths situated on a 139-acre site. The terminal assets include significant rail infrastructure, dry bulk and liquid storage, and material handling systems which allow the terminal to handle over 3.5 million tons of cargo annually.  Vancouver Wharves also has access to three major rail carriers connecting to shippers in western and central Canada, and the U.S. Pacific Northwest.  The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2007.
"Vancouver Wharves has a strong existing customer base and an excellent location in the Port of Vancouver, and we are excited about the significant growth and expansion opportunities this acquisition provides Kinder Morgan in the Canadian market," said KMP Terminals President Jeff Armstrong. "We also feel these assets align well with our growing network of terminals and broaden the services we can provide to our customers – particularly related to the growing Canadian oilsands production. Upon closing, we expect the acquisition to be immediately accretive to cash available for distribution to KMP unitholders."
Vancouver Wharves offers a variety of both inbound and outbound services and presently handles four primary commodity groups: mineral concentrates, pulp, agri-products and sulfur. It is one of two major sulfur export terminals in the Port of Vancouver and is the primary facility capable of handling mineral concentrates such as copper, lead and zinc for the Canadian mining industry.

Codelco aims to grow Gaby reserves - Chile

February 27, 2007 -Chilean state-owned copper giant Codelco has been exploring for sulfides since January to extend the potential of its US$898mn Gaby project in region II, a Codelco spokesperson told BNamericas.  By August, Codelco should know how much sulfide ore Gaby contains in order to update the project's reserves and economics, the spokesperson confirmed.  Gaby's known reserves show roughly 584Mt grading 0.41% copper, enough to yield output of 150,000t/y copper cathode for 14 years. The project is set to kick off production in June 2008.  The current resource base is almost entirely made up of oxide ore.  The project is 40% complete and has demanded an investment so far of US$130mn, the Codelco source confirmed.

On Tuesday, Codelco submitted an environmental impact assessment (EIA) to build a US$27mn sulfuric acid transport station and rail line to supply Gaby with 4,300t/d of acid, according to documents on environmental regulator Conama's website.  The state-owned miner is considering the possibility of opening up 49% of Gaby to private investment when it starts. Codelco is the world's largest producer of copper with a direct output of 1.7Mt/y.

Trial date set for CVRD Inco

February 7, 2007 - A trial date in October has been set on charges filed by the Ministry of Environment against CVRD Inco relating to an incident in Greater Sudbury one year ago.  A trial date of Oct. 4 and 5 was set at the Sudbury courthouse on charges of exceeding allowable levels of sulphur dioxide, causing adverse affects to the population and exceeding allowable levels causing adverse affects to the population.  The ministry laid the charges against the mining company in relation to a sulphur dioxide plume inversion from the Copper Cliff smelter Feb. 11, 2006.  The ministry alleges sulphur dioxide levels were exceeded at seven ground monitoring stations across Greater Sudbury that day.  CVRD Inco has stated they will fight the charges. The company has stated strange weather patterns which were not normal for this time of year were responsible for allowable levels being exceeded.

Adisseo Group Acquires Rhodia's Products

 

February 2, 2007 - Adisseo, a world-leading producer of nutritional additives and solutions used in animal feed, has acquired Rhodia's Sulphur and Regeneration Products business unit. This initiative supports Adisseo’s strategy to develop its presence in the market for methionine, an amino acid essential to animal feed, and of which the Group is already the world's leading producer.  Rhodia's Sulphur and Regeneration Products business unit was in fact the leading supplier of sulphuric acid and sulphuric hydrogen used in the production of methionine. This activity reported annual sales of €47 million in 2005 and employs 70 people, primarily at its site in Les Roches de Condrieu (Isère department of France), where Adisseo manufactures intermediate products also used in the production of methionine.  As Gérard Deman, Chairman of the Adisseo group, declared: "This acquisition enables us to strengthen our industrial production capability and to develop our competitiveness in the world methionine market, which is showing continued growth. The acquisition also adds a new, profitable and value-creating activity to the Adisseo group".

New Gas Analyser Checks Effects of Flue Gas SO3

January 23, 2007 - The new Lancom 200 is the latest portable gas analyser from Land Instruments International for measuring sulphuric acid dewpoint temperature.  Easy to operate wherever it is needed around the plant, the Lancom 200 uses a measurement technique pioneered by Land more than 40 years ago. Today it is essential for ensuring environmentally friendly and cost-conscious operation of boiler and power plants through thermal efficiency and effective control of processes and emissions.  In process control applications, the Lancom 200 reports concentrations of SO3, generating data that can be used to reduce the volumes of costly additives injected into the fuel before the boiler to reduce downstream SO3 emissions. Similarly, where additives are used to improve ESP performance, and particular fly ash collection efficiency, the analyser can monitor SO3 slip, thus reducing acid aerosol emissions (blue plume).  Examples of thermal efficiency include monitoring the temperature of the sulphuric acid dewpoint, so that the flue gas temperature can be kept above it to prevent air heater fouling on coal-fired power plants. Operating the plant with this safety margin prevents massive long-term plant corrosions and associated maintenance costs.  Acid smut and aerosol emissions are amongst the most significant emissions control issues for any plant, with serious environmental consequences if they are not kept in check. Here, the Lancom 200's contribution is to monitor acid content closely and to report the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) for compliance purposes.

Internet: www.landinst.com

Iran’s Comprehensive Copper Development Plan Unveiled

TEHRAN, Jan. 9 – Production of 480,000 tons of cathode copper is one of the chief objectives envisaged in Fourth Development Plan (2005-2010), an official at Iranian Mines and Mineral Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) announced on Monday. A comprehensive development plan compiled and approved by the organization, calls for 13,267 billions rials of investment, planning and development deputy at IMIDRO noted, adding that erection of a 100,000-ton copper refinery and construction of a sulfuric acid unit at 750,000 tons are among the projects to be positioned around Sarcheshmeh Copper Mine in southeastern province of Kerman.  A furnace unit to increase anode copper production to 120,000 tons and second phase of condensation plan to boost copper concentrate capacity to 200,000 tons are also defined for Sarcheshmeh in the general scheme, Ali Palizdar continued.  In addition, East Azarbaijan Province is going to be home to another copper refinery, sulfuric acid block and furnace division with nominal capacities of 90,000 tons, 300,000 tons and 80,000 tons respectively. The second phase of condensation at Songon Plant in the province is to raise the concentrate production to 150,000 tons per annum, he said in conclusion.