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Ashok Nandi & H. Mahadevan
International Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium Society (IBAAS)
Can Indian alumina refineries afford to import
bauxite?
Introduction •India ranks third in the world in bauxite resources (about 3
billion tons), based on which many new Green field Alumina
Refineries have been planned and implemented / being
implemented.
•Most of the resource is however located in the tribal belts &
forest areas, for which the struggle seems to be a long one.
•Despite having good metallurgical bauxite resource, the
new Refineries are required to source bauxite from other
regions for the near and short terms, including importing
bauxite to feed the refineries.
•New Indian refineries are based on simple low pressure
digestion technology & hence can process only low silica
Gibbsitic Bauxites. Therefore high silica low alumina ore
continues to be exported from west coast of India to China,
which can process such ores.
Bauxite-Alumina Map of India
Eastern Ghats-
Largest
Metallurgical
Grade Bauxite
Belts of India
having about
2.4 Billion tons
of Lateritic
Bauxite
Resources.
Bauxite Requirement in India
•Two new Alumina Refineries of Eastern
Ghats are not able to mine their nominated
bauxite deposits due to forest and tribal
issues
•These refineries are looking for medium to
high grade imported bauxite for blending with
locally available aluminous laterites & low
grade bauxite.
•Transporting bauxite from western to the
eastern part of India costs almost same as
imported ore.
STATUS EASTERN GHATS REFINERIES Refineries Status Capacity tpy Mining Status
Nalco Public Sector
Operating since 1987 2,100,000 Panchpatmali, Odisha Running mine
Utkal (HINDALCO) Private Sector
Commissioned in August, 2013
1,500,000 Baphlimali, Odisha Running mine
Vedanta Private Sector
Operating since 2006 1,000,000 Niyamgiri, Odisha. Yet to be mined; looking for alternate sources
Aditya Aluminium Private Sector
Construction yet to start
1,500,000 Kodingamali, Odisha Mine yet to be started
Anrak Private Sector
Commissioned partially in March, 2013 but full fledged operations to start
1,500,000 Jarella, Andhra Pradesh Yet to be mined; looking for alternate sources
Alumina Refinery-1
•Present alumina capacity-1 mtpa requiring about
3mtpa bauxite. Recently re-started based on local
mixed gibbsitic-boehmitic bauxite of Central India,
Gujarat and imported CBG, Guinea bauxite.
•Imported high cost ore is blended with laterites /
local low grade bauxite; therefore available
alumina content >45% preferred in imported ore.
•Trying to develop alternate laterite – bauxite
deposits in the same state.
Alumina Refinery 2
•Alumina production capacity-1.5 mtpa, might
require about 4 mtpa bauxite. Commissioning
started based on limited quantity of bauxite from
Gujarat.
•Looking for medium to high grade gibbsitic
bauxite, which can be blended with low grade
materials of local origin.
• Development of nominated bauxite deposit may
take 2 to 3 years. Company is scouting for laterite
and bauxite.
Bauxite Dependent Alumina Production Cost
Assumptions are made for a New
Low Pressure Alumina Refinery of India
Bauxite Quality From Various Sources Parameters Eastern
Ghats
Gujarat West coast
Central India
Laterite Eastern Ghats
Guinea Indonesia High
Grade
Al2O3% Total 44.0 44.0 46.0 45.0 44.0 54.6 48.0 Available alumina%
40.0 37.1 38.2 35.2 32.0 46.0 40.0
SiO2% Total 3.0 5.0 4.0 4.0 6.0 1.5 5.0 SiO2% Reactive 1.8 4.5 3.5 3.5 5.5 1.5 3.8
Moisture 9% 4% 4% 4% 5% 3% 14% Bond Work Index
Kwh/t 8.0 14.0 14.0 14.0 14.0 12.0 12.0
Overall Alumina recovery
36.8 34.1 35.1 32.3 29.4 42.3 36.8
Bxt Dry t/t alumina
2.7 2.9 2.8 3.1 3.4 2.4 2.7
Bxt(as is) t/t alumina
3.0 3.1 3.0 3.2 3.6 2.4 3.1
Bauxite Dependent Alumina Cost (US$)
Parameters Eastern Ghats
Gujarat
West coast
Central India
Laterite Eastern Ghats
CBG, Guinea
Indonesia High
Grade Handling cost 3.0 3.1 3.0 3.2 3.6 2.4 3.1
Crushing &Grinding Cost 8.9 9.2 8.9 9.6 10.7 7.3 9.3
Chemical Bound Soda/ton Alumina
43.5 117.3 88.6 96.2 166.3 31.5 90.5
Cost of Caustic Soda 18.0 48.7 36.8 39.9 69.0 13.1 37.6
Mud Load at LWS 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.1 1.2
Handling Cost of Red Mud
1.2 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.1 1.2
Storage Cost of Red Mud 2.4 2.6 2.6 2.8 3.1 2.1 2.4
TOTAL OF BXT.DEPENDENT ALUMINA PRODUCTION COST
94.2 218.7 236.1 220.9 246.6 212.7 278.3
Restricting Factors for Bauxite Import •The high available alumina and low reactive silica
imported bauxite can only substitute local laterites,
west coast and central Indian bauxite.
•Unlike China, India has resources of various grades
of aluminous laterites.
•The largest cost component for Indian refinery is
caustic soda, which is directly related to reactive
silica content of Bauxite.
•Further caustic soda prices are much higher in
India compared to China.
• Presently there is no arrangement of complex
bauxite beneficiation facility in India.
Implication of Caustic Soda Cost
Affordable Bauxite Cost for Present Alumina Price
Particulars Eastern
Ghats
West
Coast
Central
India
Alumin
ous
Laterite
CBG,
Guinea
Indones
ia
Affordable Bauxite Cost
US$ ton at CIF Vizag
14 – 15* 32 - 44 35 - 38 20 - 22 60– 80 40 – 42
Affordable Bauxite Cost
US$/ ton at FOB Loading
Port
7 – 8** 10 - 20 12 - 14 8 - 10 30-34 18– 20
*Not affordable cost but actual cost delivered to the Refinery
** Not affordable cost but actual cost FOB mines
Alumina Production Cost for New Refinery
Conclusion •New stand alone Indian Alumina Refineries
planned on the basis of local bauxite, cannot
afford to import high cost medium grade bauxite
for long term.
•In the short term, only good quality gibbsitic
bauxite will be viable for import in India.
•India has large laterite resources and any break
through in beneficiation (reduction of Kaolinitic
Silica) may drastically reduce the dependency.
•It might be possible to discuss alumina tolling
arrangement for short to medium term with one
of the Refinery.
Thanks
Dr. Ashok Nandi, Convener
International Symposium on Bauxite, Alumina and Aluminium industry of the world, with special reference to China [email protected]; [email protected]
Web site: http://www.ibaas.info/
Cell No. +91 9823015772
