Brazil’s Alunorte reports record quarterly alumina output

The Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil lifted production to 1.063 million tonnes in the third quarter of this year from 1.021 million in Q2 and 647,000t in Q3 2005, according to Brazilian mining giant CVRD, which owns a 57% interest in the plant.

The sharp increase reflects the completion in the second quarter of this year of the Phase 4 and 5 expansions, which have lifted capacity to 4.4 million tpy.

Quarterly production is now expected to stabilise above the 1-million tonne level, CVRD said.

A further expansion to 6.5 million tpy has been pencilled in for 2008.