Rio Tinto’s alumina production rising on expansions

Rio Tinto Alcan reported group attributable alumina production of 2.266 million tonnes in Q2 2008, up 2% on Q1 production of 2.220 million tonnes and up 9% on a pro forma basis on the year-earlier period. The driver of higher quarterly output was the Gove refinery in Australia, which lifted production to 589,000t in Q2 08 from 554,000t in Q1 08. This reflects the commissioning of a 1.8 million tpy expansion at the plant, although ramp-up is proving a slow process. Gove is expected to produce 2.6 million tonnes this year and will achieve its target operating rate of 3.4-3.8 million tpy only at the end of next year. The Yarwun refinery is also being expanded by 1.4 million tpy to 3.4 million tpy. Rio Tinto said the expansion is on track for its first shipment of alumina in the second half of 2010 with projected completion in the second half of 2011. Ramp-up will then take another 12 months. Yarwun’s production in Q2 2008 dipped to 327,000t from 348,000t in Q1 2008. On the credit side production at the 80% owned Queensland Alumina plant rose to 773,000t from 756,000t in the prior quarter. Source: Metalsinsider