Shanxi Aluminum leads cost reduction efforts with enhanced R&D initiatives for its alumina production

Since the beginning of this year, Shanxi Aluminum Industry has consistently enhanced its technical management system and production standards for alumina. The company has aggressively pursued cost-reduction initiatives in research and development, leading to significant improvements in key technical and consumption metrics.

By the end of August, electricity, lime, gas, and sintered coal usage per unit had decreased year-on-year by 4.7 kWh per tonne, 7.01 kg per tonne, 0.27 cubic meters per tonne, and 41.38 kg per tonne, respectively. These optimisations have collectively reduced costs by RMB 20.77 million.

Shanxi Aluminum Industry has strengthened its foundational process management, revising and improving 16 institutional standards, including "Process Technology Standards" and "Process Technology Management Measures." Process parameters and technical indicators have been optimised and adjusted according to production needs.

This has led to improved overall system balance and control of technical indicators, resulting in a year-on-year increase of 1.64 kg/cubic meter in cycle efficiency, with high-temperature cycle efficiency rising by 2.76 kg/cubic meter, marking the best performance in the past five years. The fine control and scheduling system now applies quota management for electricity and steam energy while exploring further cost-reduction opportunities by analysing and adjusting process indicators, monitoring key parameters in real time, and tracking the hourly production capacity of the main equipment.

Looking ahead, Shanxi Aluminum Industry is poised to achieve its annual target objectives by actively advancing key projects. These include the first phase of pipeline dissolution optimisation and the second phase of high-temperature red mud alkali removal and mother liquor cooling crystallisation to eliminate organic matter. The company will continue to streamline its process flow, upgrade equipment automation, and strengthen its core competitiveness.