March 5, 2012|
- Amid rising demand for hollow glass spheres, 3M (St. Paul, Minn.) has decided to expand its production at its French site in Cambrai / Tilloy by another 35%; the technology group had just raised the site’s output by 20% last year. The additional capacities are due to come on stream by the end of 2012. Beside from its French site, 3M last year also raised output at its plants in Guin, Ala., and Cottage Grove, Minn. The company also commissioned a new plant in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil, last year.
- The Tan Rai Ore-bauxite Factory, part of the Lam Dong Aluminum-Bauxite Complex Project of Vietnam, is expected to come into operation in April; with an investment capital of almost $700 million, the Tan Rai complex, located in Lam Dong Province, aims to produce 600,000 tons per year of alumina and will increase its output to 1.2 Mt by 2015.
- Grecian Magnesite S.A., a leading manufacturer of magnesite and its compounds, has announced that its Turkish subsidiary Akdeniz Mineral Kaynaklari A.S. has successfully completed the erection of its new rotary kiln. The rotary kiln has a production capacity of more than 50 tons per day of caustic calcined magnesia or about 30 tons per day of deadburned magnesia which will double current annual production capacity.
- Australian mineral sands producer Iluka Resources Ltd. has posted a sharp jump in annual profit as it benefited from higher prices for its products, but said that while prices are likely to rise further near term its output of two key commodities, zircon and high grade titanium dioxide, would fall.