Kazakhstan-based Aksu Ferroalloys Plant (Aksu), a subsidiary of mining and processing company TNK Kazkhrom, has restarted operations at its electro-smelting furnace No. 61 for ferrochrome production, after the completion of overhaul work.
By recommissioning its electro-smelting furnace No. 61, Aksu has finalized the modernization project for its four high-capacity smelting units at its workshop No. 6, where new up-to-date wet and dry filters which retain 99.9 percent of emissions have been installed.
In 2009, Aksu plans to invest Tenge 7.3 billion (about $49 million) in technical re-equipment and modernization Tenge 7.3 billion (about $49 million).
In addition, Aksu is continuing the construction of its new sintering shop with a capacity of 350,000 mt per year, the production of which will be used to increase the quality of the plant's ferroalloys. The automated sintering shop will process the production wastes, outputting chrome and manganese alloys. The commissioning of the new shop is scheduled for the beginning of 2010.
With an annual capacity of 1.2 million mt, Aksu is one of the world's leading producers of chrome, silicon and manganese alloys.
Aksu's ferroalloys are used in production of alloyed steels at plants in Japan, the United States, Europe and Russia. In January-March 2009, the plant estimated the value of its production at Tenge 23.5 billion (approx $157 million) - down 49.4 percent compared to the same period last year.