Alcoa Inc., the leading U.S. aluminum producer with more than one million tonnes of annual capacity in Quebec, is looking for ways to reduce raw material and smelting costs.
In a deal with Norway's Orkla ASA, Alcoa is buying full control of a new aluminum "carbothermic" production technology now in the research and development phase. If proven, it would reduce the energy required to produce aluminum and also cut smelter emissions.
Electric power now accounts for about one-third of the cost of producing aluminum and new smelters have annual capacity of about 400,000 tonnes to spread unit costs and remain profitable.
Alcoa said the new process technology would allow smaller smelting plants to be economic and also offer a wider choice of location. It is keeping up the research effort, moving the operation
豫公网安备41010502003434号