Noranda alumina commissions last phase of the CGA expansion in its Gramercy refinery

Noranda Alumina updates through a press release that it continues to expand the chemical grade alumina (CGA) capabilities of its Gramercy refinery in Louisiana.  It has commissioned a new hydrate dryer and dense phase pneumatic conveying system during the final phase of a CGA expansion project launched in late 2017. The dryer and conveying system are state of the art technologies for the Gramercy refinery. After the expansion the refinery will have a capacity of 800,000 tonnes of CGA per year.

“This new equipment, along with a new hydrate reclamation system, significantly increases Noranda Alumina’s CGA capacity while improving our operational flexibility and efficiency,” said John Habisreitinger, the company’s Executive Vice President.

“The completion of this project enables Noranda Alumina to increase CGA supply without sacrificing total plant takeout,” Habisreitinger said.

He added that the expansion in the refinery will assure customer supply reliability, strengthen their leadership position in North America, and support additional market growth.

The US$20 million expansion project started construction in November 2017 and the project achieved its first milestone in April of 2018 with installation and commercial operation of a 65 tonne per hour hydrate filter. Noranda completed the installation of the new hydrate dryer and pneumatic conveying system in early December. They are starting commercial operations in the refinery this week.

Noranda Bauxite and Noranda Alumina are the bauxite mining and alumina refinery operations of New Day Aluminum LLC. Noranda Alumina in Gramercy produces smelter grade alumina as well as chemical grade alumina which is used in a wide array of industrial applications.