Venezuelan alumina output running slow

Venezuelan state alumina producer Bauxilum is experiencing a combination of problems resulting in significantly lower output, according to local news reports.

The local reports suggest that daily output is currently around 1,300t, compared with a target of 5,400t. The key factor at work is the loss of one calciner after an explosion a couple of weeks ago, but "management personnel" changes and an ongoing revamp and upgrade programme are also somewhere in the mix.

The reports claim that the 2-million tpy plant at Puerto Ordaz has minimal stocks, creating potential problems for the country’s two smelters—the 210,000tpy Alcasa and the 430,000tpy Venalum facilities.