Venezuelan alumina producer restarts calciner

Venezuelan bauxite and alumina producer Bauxilum has fired up its No.1 calciner in an effort to return production to normal levels.

The company’s output was hit by the combination of the No. 1 calciner being down for maintenance and by the closure of another after it was knocked out of action by technical problems.

It is now operating three out of four calciners at the 2-million tpy Puerto Ordaz refinery and hopes to have the fourth one back on line by mid-July. It is holding its 2007 production target unchanged at 1.85 million tonnes.