Archive > Metal Asia > May-June 2011

Metal Asia May June 2011 Issue

A Complete Metal Magazine

SPECIAL COVERAGE

CEMTEC INDIA - complete grinding solutions for Cement & Mining Industries
In order to provide complete grinding solutions to the Indian Market, a new company, CEMTEC INDIA Pvt Ltd has been formed on 07th March-2011, which is a joint venture company between CEMTEC Cement & Mining Technology GmbH, Austria and Jyotirmoyee International Pvt Ltd. The new company will operate from its Kolkata Office. The new entity will have Sabyasachi Mishra as Director and Franz Plochberger as Chairman.

COMMENT

Aluminium industry to give stiff competition to other sectors
As steel industry paves its way to major growth in upcoming years, aluminium industry too is expected to escalate in years ahead.
The aluminium industry will pose a stiff competition to steel industry. In the present year, as predicted, the global importance of the aluminium industry will touch near about $99.9 billion and will shortly break the $100 billion barricade. Aluminium is to remain in great demand and is estimated to grow around 12 per cent this year.

FACE TO FACE

“Considering growth in Indian mining & cement sectors, there will be ample growth opportunities for the new subsidiary,” said a confident Sabyasachi Mishra
In an interview with our Editor Mr. Santosh Mahanti, Mr. Sabyasachi Mishra, Director of CEMTEC INDIA, highlights the development and future plans of the new Indian subsidiary.

NATIONAL TRENDS

• Coal mining cos. required to spend on CSR

  Coal mining companies may get required to spend a part of their net profit on CSR such as the welfare of local people, as proposed by the Union government.

• Konecranes bags prestigious order from Hindalco to supply soaking pit crane

  Konecranes, the world leader in lifting industry has recently bagged contract from Hindalco to supply soaking pit crane for its Can body stock manufacturing plant at Hirakud. This crane is double girder rigid mast EOT crane designed for soaking pit furnace applications with maximum capacity of slab 17 ton.

• India showcasing feeble mineral supply

  India is showcasing a feeble mineral supply and this event could disrupt its growth objectives on a long scale.

• SC suspends iron ore mine licences

  The Supreme Court has suspended 19 iron ore mine licences in Karnataka’s Bellary district as illegal mining was a serious issue at that place. Another 68 corporations waits for a decision.

• Nalco's net profit mounts up by 31%

  National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), the Navratna PSU under Ministry of Mines, Government of India, has attained notable results, (both in sales and profit) for the year 2010-11 by posting net profit of Rs. 1069.30 crore, up by 31% over last year’s figure of Rs. 814.22 crore and sales turnover of Rs. 5958.98 crore, up 18%, over Rs. 5054.73 crore achieved in the previous fiscal.

• NMDC comes up with paramount annual & Q-4 2010-11 results

  The annual and Q-4 2010-11 results approved by the Board of Directors of the Company reveal paramount performance of the Company, both in the quarter and during the year. The Company’s production and sales of iron ore during the Q-4 touched 8.58 million tonnes and 8.42 million tonnes respectively which represents 38% and 34% improvement in production and sales from previous quarter and as well as 24% and 22% improvement in production and sales over the corresponding quarter of previous year.

INTERNATIONAL TRENDS

• ABB India releases 2011 first quarter results

  Power and automation technology major, ABB Limited India released its first quarter (Q1) results for 2011. Results continue to point towards a revival with base orders growing at 8% and revenues showing an increase of 22% on execution of the strong order backlog combined with higher sales of short cycle products and services.

• Outotec to supply copper flash smelting technology to Iran

  Finnish mining and metal manufacturing equipment supplier Outotec has signed a contract with Tech Talk company of Dubai, for the supply of flash smelting technology for the expansion of National Iranian Copper Industries Company’s copper smelter located in Sarcheshmeh, Iran. The total value of the contract is around EUR 61 million.

• Siemens expands its finishing lines collection

  Siemens VAI Metals Technologies is expanding its finishing lines collection which will follow the inclusion of solutions meant for the regional markets.

• Siemens VAI widens its range of aluminium foil rolling mills

  Siemens VAI Metals Technologies has developed a range of aluminium foil rolling mills with production capacity of up to 20,000 metric tonnes per year. Thus, even small lot sizes can be rolled flexibly and with a fast return on investment. The rolling mill’s concept attaches particular importance to reduction of construction and commissioning time, as well as easy operation and maintenance.

• VHE celebrates 5th Electrode Conference

  VHE of Iceland was a major sponsor of the 5th International Conference on Electrodes and Support Services for Primary Aluminium Smelters held in Reykjavik, Iceland, 10-12 May 2011.

IN FOCUS

• Production Potential of Aluminium Silicon Alloy (Selumin) in Odisha

  Aluminium Silicon is a metallic ally which has tremendous promise in automotive and engine building industries, as well as for the production of domestic appliance.
  Earlier, the technology of production and casting of aluminium silicon alloy is based on the aluminium and technical silicon.

• Thermal Coal to be Surpass

  In 2011, thermal coal may showcase a sign of ‘surpass’ following a rise of more than 30 per cent in record. The reason behind is the pacing up of demand scale from the countries of China and India while Japan is increasing imports to fill up the gap for nuclear power lost after the massive earthquake in March.

COMPANY PROFILE

Iron Ore Pellet Plants - Indigenous reliable supplier for Pelletising Discs and Process Fans - Rotoauto

Rotoauto Engineering Solutions Pvt. Ltd. based at Chennai is a multifaceted heavy engineering enterprise with focus on large rotary process equipments catering to core industries like Steel, Power, Cement, Petrochemical, etc. In the steel industry, Rotoauto is a well established OEM with expertise in design, manufacture and supply of Iron Ore Pelletising Discs (Balling Discs) and Process fans.

Vedanta Group : Aiming to become World-Class

Having its headquarters in London, the Vedanta Group stands as a distinctive corporation which is aiming high to become a world-class metals and mining group on a worldwide scale. It has related business wings providing importance upon aluminium, copper, zinc, iron ore and commercial energy sector.

COMPANY REPORT

Hydro comes out with Q-1’11 results: Outcome increases on high aluminium prices and strong sales

In its Q-1’11 results, Hydro, an aluminium manufacturing company from Norway had underlying earnings before financial items and tax (EBIT) of NOK 1,448 million, being up from NOK 588 million in the fourth quarter in 2010. Higher realized aluminium prices and premiums, higher volumes and lower operating costs lifted the underlying results for the quarter.

REFRACTORY

Synthesis of nanocrystalline strontium aluminate powder by gelcombustion route using different oxidant: fuel concentration

Nanocrystalline materials are seen as the new generation materials and explored in various applications owing to it's size and shape dependent physical properties in the nano level. Phosphors are one of the materials that show promising behaviour when synthesized in nanoscale region. Many phosphors have been made in nanophase by employing different advanced techniques [1-3]. Nanocrystalline strontium aluminate powders have been prepared through various methods such as liquid phase deposition [4], co-precipitation[5], sol-gel process [6] and laser ablation technique[7]. Nowaday, solution-polymerization technique, better known as gelcombustion synthesis or pechini technique has been the one of the prominent, easy and cheap chemical synthesis routes for nanosized powder synthesis.

Sintering studies of combined gelation-precipitation processed Al2O3 - ZrO2 nanocomposites

High performance ceramics are becoming increasingly more important as strategic materials for further development of technology. Alumina with a combination of good thermal, chemical and mechanical properties is an important member of the high tech ceramic family. A dispersion of fine ZrO2 particle is also useful to improve the fracture toughness of ceramic materials[3]. The present work includes preparation of Al2O3 containing a dispersion of ZrO2 by combined gelation and precipitation method for studying the effect of ZrO2 addition on mechanical and physical properties. Sol-gel[5] process has emerged as an important method of preparing alumina ceramic powders and aluminium sulfate lends itself easy to gel formation.

IRON ORE

Iron Ore resources in India-Value Addition

In the fast growing Indian economy, the per capita consumption of steel in the country is bound to grow significantly from the present 47 kg as against the world average of 190 kg and that of 400 kg in developed countries. The estimated steel production in India by the year 2020 is expected to be of the order of 200 MTPA. In such a scenario, there will be proportionate jump in the iron ore requirement to meet the demand of the Indian steel industry. With the depleting high grade iron ore reserves and revision of threshold value of iron ores to 45% Fe, it is obligatory on the part of mining industry to exploit Low/Lean grade iron ores which are hitherto considered a waste.

ARCHITECTURAL ALUMINIUM

Usage of Aluminium in Global Architecture

The metal of aluminium stands out as a soft, durable, lightweight, spongy and malleable metal which is used in a number of appliances by various kinds of ways. One of the most-listed uses call for architectural applications.

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.

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

M/S SGS Technologies- Expertise in Combustion Systems Business

M/S SGS Technologies activities include i) indigenously making the burners & Combustion systems ii) supplying & commissioning these burners & systems in India iii) marketing the burners to government sectors, semi government companies, public limited companies and even to private originations in small sectors iv) Providing solutions for improving productivity & energy saving. M/S SGS Technologies have successfully supplied burners for varied fuels like Furnace Oil, Light Diesel Oil, HSD, NG, Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), Coke Oven Gas (COG), Hydrogen, Corex Gas ( CV- 1850 Kcal/Nm3) and lean gases like Blast Furnace Gas (BFG CV- 750 Kcal/Nm3), Producer Gas ( PG CV- 1250 Kcal/Nm3). It is a pleasure to inform that we have executed several projects in reheating furnace area wherein we have replaced Furnace Oil firing with lean gases like BFG & PG.

PRE-METEC 2011

GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS, NEWCAST - A global leading trade fairs point the way forward

After 4 years of long waiting, finally the world’s biggest trade fairs have punched the clock! Arrangements for the four international technology trade fairs GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS and NEWCAST are now in high gear. Visitors and exhibitors from around the world are much excited to flock to trade fairs in Düsseldorf.