Iran Aluminum Production Exceeds 83,000 Tons in Four Months

EghtesadOnline: Iran's major aluminum producers' output stood at 83,207 tons during the first four months of the current Iranian year (March 21-July 22), which indicates a 32% decrease compared with last year's corresponding period, the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization reported.

News ID: ۷۴۸۲۱۵

19 August 2019

Flagship producer Iran Aluminum Company accounted for 61,208 tons of the total figure, registering an increase of 1% year-on-year. It was followed by Hormozal Aluminum Company with 10,632 tons, down 72% YOY; and Almahdi Aluminum Company with 9,800 tons, down 59% YOY.

Aluminum production during the month to July 22 stood at 21,061 tons to witness a fall of 31% YOY.

Iran Alumina Company produced 79,068 tons of alumina powder during the four months, down 4% YOY, Financial Tribune reported.

Alumina powder output during the month to July 22 amounted to 17,662 tons, down by 13% compared with last year’s similar period.

40k Tons Added to Iran's Aluminum Production Capacity

Jajarm Aluminum Complex recently became operational by adding 40,000 tons to the capacity of Iran's annual aluminum ingot production.

An inaugural ceremony was held last month at the site of the complex in the presence of Industries Minister Reza Rahmani.

The plant was inaugurated on the sidelines of President Hassan Rouhani and his Cabinet’s visit to North Khorasan Province, wherein lies Jajarm Aluminum Complex, ILNA reported.

According to Rahmani, the plant became operational with an investment of 17 trillion rials ($136 million), creating 400 direct and 1,600 indirect jobs.

"Jajarm Aluminum Complex fulfils 30% of Iran’s domestic demand," he said.

Iran has a current aluminum nameplate capacity of 457,000 tons per year, of which about 437,000 tons are operational, according to Metal Bulletin.

The country is planning to increase annual production to 1.5 million tons by 2025.

Rahmani noted that currently 27 major mining projects with an investment of $3.5 billion are underway in Iran, including the South Aluminum Company with an investment of $1.2 billion, which is slated to be inaugurated by the end of the current Iranian year (March 2020).

The minister also inaugurated Iran’s first production line of alpha-alumina in Germeh County during his provincial visit.

The production unit came on stream with an investment of 270 billion rials ($2.16 million), creating 45 direct and 250 indirect jobs.

Also called aluminum oxide, alumina is a white or nearly colorless crystalline substance that is used as a starting material for the smelting of aluminum metal. It also serves as the raw material for a broad range of advanced ceramic products and as an active agent in chemical processing.

Alumina is made from bauxite, a naturally occurring ore containing variable amounts of hydrous (water-containing) aluminum oxides. It is an important material that can be prepared from bauxite or kaolin in several different phases. It is widely used as the basic material of catalytic support because of its high chemical inertness, strength and hardness.

The alpha-alumina is the most stable form of alumina, which is employed as a ceramic material. Also known as Nano alumina, it is a white puffy powder. The specific surface area is low, resistant to high temperature and inert, but it does not belong to activated alumina, and it has almost no catalytic activity.

The alpha-alumina is used in the production of industrial ceramics, engineering ceramics, refractories, ceramic glaze, catalysts and also in oil, gas and petrochemical industries.