Venezuela's Bauxilum July alumina output falls 19% to 50,711 mt

Venezuela's CVG-Bauxilum alumina production totaled 50,711 metric tons in July, down 19% from 62,625 mt in July 2012, but up 16% from output of 43,576 mt in June, Bauxilum said Wednesday.

Bauxilum's low alumina output continues to reflect deterioration in its Puerto Ordaz-based operations. A recent disbursement of funds by the Venezuelan government will only go toward paying back-owed bills to suppliers and not to upgrade operations, said a Bauxilum official.

Bauxilum's bauxite output at its Pijiguaos mine totaled 334,993 mt in July, up 31% from 255,170 mt in July 2012 and up 517% from 54,311 mt in June.

"The bauxite production is way higher, as they have been incorporating the [mining] equipment we bought recently from Belarus and that should help us out significantly in the long run," said the same Bauxilum official.

Bauxilum, with installed alumina capacity of 2 million mt/year and bauxite capacity of 5.5 million to 5.8 million mt/year, forms part of the Corporacion Venezolana de Guayana's 600,000 mt/year primary aluminum complex in Puerto Ordaz, Bolivar state.