Archive > Metal Asia > August 2011

Metal Asia August 2011 Issue

A Complete Metal Magazine

SPECIAL COVERAGE

Challenges and Opportunities in the Metal Industry
The metal industry plays an important role in any economy because of its influence on diverse end-user applications in a number of sectors such as chemical, engineering, agriculture, automobiles, infrastructure, electronics, and others. According to CII, the manufacturing industry has a share of about 21 per cent of the total greenhouse emission in the world. Of this, 15 per cent is contributed by the steel industry. As a result, about 3-4 per cent of the total CO2 emissions of the world are contributed by the steel industry.

COMMENT

Sluggish growth of steel units poses challenges to the Indian refractory makers
Refractory plays a significant role for shaping up metallurgical industry. Since non-ferrous industry is escalating, more, Research & Development efforts are needed so as to develop new refractory and to cut the consumption of the same.

NATIONAL TRENDS

• Hindalco to delay fund raising for Aluminium refinery

  India’s one of the major Aluminium manufacturers, Hindalco Industries has decided to holdup the financial closure of Rs. 7,800 crore Aditya Alumunium refinery project because of uncertain market conditions.

• TRL Krosaki bagged 1st Prize for Best Practice in Leadership Development

  Team HRD, TRL Krosaki has bagged 1st Prize in recognition for outstanding achievement in Best Practice in Leadership Development.

• CIL seeks approval for acquisition

  Coal India Ltd. (CIL), the world’s largest coal producer, is seeking the Indian government’s approval to acquire 30 per cent stake in a coal asset in Indonesia, Chairman and Managing Director N.C. Jha said. He declined to share details.

• Centre accords prior approval to Utkal-E Coal Block

  Ministry of Coal has granted its prior approval for mining lease of Utkal- E Coal Block at Angul, in favour of National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO). The Block has an estimated reserve of 70 million tonnes of coal, covering an area of around 212 hectares.

• Hindalco net profit up 21pct

  Hindalco Industries Ltd., has reported a 21 per cent rise in its fiscal first-quarter net profit, on higher prices of aluminium and copper.

• Coal India to lose 40K tonne a day on Jharkhand ban

  Coal India Ltd. (CIL) is set to lose production of 40,000 tonnes of coal a day, following an order from the Jharkhand government to close 22 mines operated by its subsidiary, Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL). The Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board passed the order, alleging BCCL of running these mines without proper environmental clearances.

INTERNATIONAL TRENDS

• ABB clinches $20 million order in South Korea

  ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has clinched an order worth $20 million from Korea-based steel manufacturer Hyundai Steel Company (HSC), part of the Hyundai Motor Group, to deliver the drive system for the extension of its existing heavy plate mill in the Chungnam province of South Korea. The integrated mill produces high-quality automotive and shipbuilding steel plates.

• Chinese contracts awarded to FATA Hunter

  FATA Hunter, Division of FATA S.p.A. (a Finmeccanica Company) has been awarded three contracts. It won a twins contract for the supply of two h-System automation systems for flatness control. The first was to Shandong Chuangxin Strip Co. Ltd. and the other was to Shandong Denuo Banji Scientific & Technique Co. Ltd., both based in Shandong Province.

• Aleris signs five year pact with Airbus

  Aleris has signed a five-year agreement to provide aluminium plate and sheet in a range of alloys to Airbus for its global programs.

• Hydro to install new environmental technology in Årdal

  Hydro’s technology center in Årdal, Norway, is installing a unit to remove sulfur dioxide (SO2) from the flue gas from aluminium production. The unit will reduce annual

• Outotec signs contracts with Emirates Aluminium

  Outotec has signed two contracts with Emirates Aluminium PJSC (EMAL). New contracts worth over EUR 100 million.

IN FOCUS

• Waste to wealth: production of Fe-Ni from lateritic ore/chromite overburden of Sukinda deposit in Odisha, India

  In the Sukinda Valley of Odisha, India, the total quantity of nickel ore reserves comprising of both lateritic and chromite over burden(COB) have been estimated at around 231 million tonnes containing 0.3 to 0.9% Ni. While mining of one tonne of Chromite ore, around 6-7 tonnes of chromite over burden are removed. These overburden materials are disposed as waste materials, which causes lot of environmental hazards and ecological imbalance. India imports a large amount of nickel and ferro-nickel to meet its growing demands in various sectors. For import substitutions, efforts have been made to produced ferro-nickel from the lean deposits of nickel bearing lateritic ores/chromite over burden materials by reduction roasting followed by magnetic separation and then the nickel rich magnetic fraction is smelted to produce ferro-nickel. It has been possible to produce ferro-nickel of grade varying from 4-25% nickel.

• Rare metals extraction from nonferrous resources in India : Present status and prospects of R&D

  Rare metals comprise of those naturally occurring elements with relatively lesser abundance in the earth's crust which are difficult to extract by normal metallurgical processes. The present paper summarizes the ore / mineral resource base including the secondary resources, current usage and extraction technology of rare metals in India. The R&D in India has resulted in the exploitation of such processes or poised for gainful utilization. As the technologies for extraction of rare metals follow a different methodology than those applicable to the normal base metals and were not readily available at the early stage of development during 1950-1990s, indigenous developments matured and were put to use; a few such technologies are described.

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Low-temperature Oxyfuel successful in aluminium re-melting

As a further development of conventional oxyfuel, the compelling and innovative Low-temperature Oxyfuel, based on the principles of flameless combustion has, today, become an established technology. Low-temperature Oxyfuel has been proven to deliver higher melt rates with reduced oxidation, lower fuel consumption and ultra-low NOX emissions.

COAL TRENDS

Global Coal & Mining Industry : Showcasing Steady Augmentation

The global coal industry has bounced back in the year 2011. Crossing the economic meltdown two years back, this sector has being following a path of revival and is expected to sail through the same in the times to come. As the coal sector is strongly related to the economic conditions on a worldwide scale, the upturn in demand after the recession period helped a lot to develop the group’s earnings power, along with a number of coal companies standing on a profitable ground last year.

COMPANY NEWS

KONECRANES introduces new Fuel-Saving RTG Crane

Konecranes introduces a new type of fuel-saving RTG crane featuring a variable-speed diesel alternator system. This innovative solution diminishes fuel consumption significantly by eliminating high-speed idling, and it reduces noise and emissions.

REFRACTORY

Effect of copper and graphite addition on sinterability of iron

In ferrous powder metallurgy, copper and graphite are used as common alloying elements. Copper melts at low temperature compared to iron and forms liquid which promote interparticle bond formation. However, it also results in compact swelling. To negate this, graphite is used as an additive. This study examines the influence of copper and graphite addition on the densification, dimensional changes, and mechanical properties of iron compacts sintered at 1120°C. These properties have been correlated with the microstructure.

Preparation of mullite fibres by Sol-Gel method

Mullite fibers were synthesized from an aqueous solution of aluminium isopropoxide, aluminium nitrate and tetraethylorthosilicate by the Sol-Gel method. The starting solution was prepared by adding aluminium isopropoxide and tetraethylorthosilicate simultaneously to an aluminium nitrate aqueous solution. The spinnability of the starting solution was investigated by varying the molar ratio of aluminium isopropoxide/aluminium nitrate in the solution. Gel fibers were obtained from solutions in a composition range of aluminium isopropoxide/aluminium nitrate of 3 to 5. It was powdered after calcination at 900°C and characterized in XRD and SEM.

RAW MATERIALS

Raw Materials and Refractory : An Indian Overview

The industrial sector of India gets access to the best possible rate of mineral resources, provided by this country. Yet, the related division faces much apprehension as the manufacturing process witness a number of pitfalls.

METALS & MINING

Mobility for metal and mining companies-opportunities and challenges

The CEOs of metal and mining companies are confronted with the latest buzzword in technology today - Mobility. They are reading examples of how mobility is transforming the way companies are run today and why game - changing mobility technology promises to revolutionize business in future. With the extra-ordinary growth in use of mobile devices in last decade and ease of access to information available in public domain, it is clear to them that they cannot underestimate of mobility on their business in near future.

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Energy efficient & environment-friendly operations in copper smelting - case of Birla Copper (Hindalco)

Birla Copper is one of the world’s largest copper smelting & refining complex at a single location and possibly the most integrated in terms of captive infrastructure and by-product streams.

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Arcspraying of continuously extruded, multi-void aluminium tubing

Corrosion of heat exchangers for automotive air conditioning units can be a major problem. The unit is often located near the front grille of the vehicle and hence, is exposed to a severely corrosive environment, with road salts, rain and high temperatures- all contributing to high corrosion rates.

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

Fluoride control at NALCO Smelter Plant

Fluoride , both in air and water, is an important pollutant in aluminium smelters all over the world. Fluoride in excess amount in air and water believed to have caused health hazards including fluorosis, a disease of deformity of bones in human beings as well as in cattle. Though in comparison to many other industries, smelting in a modern aluminium smelter is a clean, quiet and relatively unobtrusive process but still adequate precaution are taken so that the fluoride pollution from aluminium smelters are kept in check.