By Alton Tabereaux, Contributing Editor. Bauxite residue is an insoluble solid waste by-product generated after the digestion of gibbsitic bauxite ore with sodium hydroxide at elevated temperature and pressure in the Bayer process for the extraction of alumina. During the digestion process, aluminum minerals react with caustic soda process liquor to form soluble sodium aluminate […]
Vedanta Aluminium, the largest aluminum producer in India, achieved a new breakthrough in the design of a new potlining technology for its aluminum smelters. The Vedanta Lining Design is a patented, energy-efficient technique that reduces energy consumption by 200–250 KWh per tonne of aluminum produced, providing increased energy efficiency and enhanced lifespan of the smelting […]
Vedanta Limited, the largest diversified natural resources company in India, plans to to demerge its business units into independent “pure play” companies. The company stated that this will simplify Vedanta’s corporate structure and unlock value and attract investment into the expansion and growth of each of the businesses. More than 90% of Vedanta Ltd’s profits […]
By Alton Tabereaux, Contributing Editor. Sixty-eight million tonnes of primary aluminum were produced worldwide in smelters in 2021. According to the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), the aluminum sector was directly responsible for 275 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2021, a 2% increase over the previous year. If the indirect emissions from electricity are included, the […]
Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), a subsidiary of Vedanta Aluminium, successfully conducted trial runs for using biodiesel in its smelter operations in Korba, Chhattisgarh, India. This is in line with the company’s ambitious target to become net zero carbon by 2050 or sooner. Towards this end, BALCO is looking at increasing the quantum of renewables […]
By Alton Tabereaux, Contributing Editor. Spent potlining (SPL) disposal is one of the largest environmental waste management challenges confronting worldwide primary aluminum smelters due to its toxicity. The International Aluminium Institute (IAI) asserts that 1.6 million tons of SPL were generated from primary aluminum production in 2019,1 making it the second largest waste volume produced […]
By Alton Tabereaux, Contributing Editor. The largest waste by-product generated in the Bayer bauxite refining process is bauxite residue, commonly called red mud. An enormous quantity of caustic red mud is generated worldwide every year, posing a very serious and alarming environmental and safety problem. The storage of red mud is a challenge for alumina […]
By Alton Tabereaux, Contributing Editor. A conspicuous transformation occurred in the world’s primary aluminum industry during the past five years with the construction of “Mega” aluminum smelters (>1 million tpy) in China, which have boosted aluminum production to levels not previously experienced by companies. Nine aluminum companies had an annual production greater than 2 million […]
