Nalco all set for 3.1-lakh-tonne Iran project, names consultant

National Aluminium Company Ltd (Nalco), India’s second largest producer of aluminium, has initiated the process of appointing consultants for its projects. The company proposes to set up an alumina refinery in Andhra Pradesh and an aluminium smelter and a captive power plant in Orissa, besides two smelter complexes abroad. Nalco has selected MN Dastur to act as a consultant for its project in Iran. Between Fata Hunter of Italy and MN Dastur, the company has chosen the latter. However, Nalco’s initial attempt to select a consultant was hardly successful with only one company responding to its first tender. The lukewarm response was widely believed to be a fall out of the US sanction on Iran. Nalco is proposing to set up a 3.1 lakh tonne smelter project in Iran with an investment of Rs 4,000 crore. The company has signed an MoU for firming up a joint venture with ALPHA, an Iran-based company where the Kerman Development Organisation (KDO) is a major partner. MN Dastur, who is also Nalco’s consultant for the project in Indonesia, has recommended the Tanjung Api-Api site in that country for the company’s Rs 14,000 crore smelter project. It also proposes to set up a 5 lakh tonne smelter and a 1250mw captive plant in Indonesia. The Navaratna aluminium behemoth is also exploring opportunities in South Africa and a few other countries. “Though we are scouting for opportunities in several foreign countries, the surplus alumina we have will allow us to go for only two smelters abroad,” said chairman-cum-managing director CR Pradhan. As of now, the chairman said, project proposals in Indonesia and Iran are moving faster than those in other countries. In the domestic front, Nalco has started the process of appointing consultants for projects in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. The company has floated tenders for appointment of a consultant to prepare the DPR (detailed project report) for its proposed Rs 16,500 crore smelter-cum-power plant project. The Orissa government’s single window committee has cleared the project for which Engineering India Ltd prepared the pre-feasibility report. Nalco, which also plans to set up facilities for bauxite mining and alumina refinery in Andhara Pradesh, has engaged Mineral Exploration Corp Ltd, a government of India company, for preparing detailed prospecting drilling (DPD) of two bauxite mines–Gudem and KR Konda--in the neighbouring state. The mines promise a total deposit of 90 million tonne of quality bauxite equivalent to Nalco’s Panchpatmali mines in Orissa. The company is proposing to set up a 4.2 million tonne bauxite and a 1.4 million tonne alumina refinery projects in Andhra Pradesh at an investment of Rs 7,000 crore. Source: Express India