China hails success in making alumina from coal ash

A Chinese power company has succeeded in producing alumina from coal ash, a step that could help ease China's chronic raw materials shortage, the Economic Daily said.

Datang International Power Generation Co (601991.SS) has completed construction of a plant capable of producing 3,000 tonnes of alumina a year from coal ash, and produced its first batch of alumina, the paper said, citing a company forum on the topic.

Ash remaining after coal is burned typically contains metals, including alumina, the raw material for aluminium, and recapturing and using them could reduce demand for natural resources. The challenge has been to develop the technology to the point where it is cost-effective.

China's aluminium smelters have expanded rapidly over the last few years, straining the country's ability to supply alumina as well as its raw material, bauxite.

Although the economic downturn has idled some aluminium smelting capacity, China's appetite for raw materials is still expected to be formidable in the long term.

The plant is expected to source its fly ash from power plants in Inner Mongolia, where alumina content in fly ash can near 50 percent, much higher than from other coal sources, the paper said.

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