Norsk Hydro: Brazilian federal court lifts final embargo on Alunorte deposit area

2019-09-28

Sept. 28, 2019 - On September 26, the Norwegian aluminum producer, Norsk Hydro, declared that the Brazilian federal court had lifted the final embargo on Alunorte’s new bauxite residue disposal (DRS2) under a criminal lawsuit, allowing the alumina refinery to resume activities of installation and commissioning at DRS2 and ending a 19-month embargo period which has restricted activities at the plant.

In February 2018, after the half-state-owned aluminum company was accused of a toxic waste spill that contaminated several communities in Barcarena, Brazilian federal environmental agency lifted the embargo on DRS2 and asked the company to utilize its state-of-the-art press filter technology in processing of bauxite residues. Since then, Alunorte’s activities of installation and commissioning at DRS2 had been suspended and its production had been limited to 50% of its full capacity.

Norsk Hydro’s operations include one of the world’s largest bauxite mines and the world’s largest alumina refinery. According to the estimates from Hydro, the rate of capacity utilization of bauxite mines and alumina in Brazil could reach 75%-85% in the rest period of 2019, and 85%-95% in 2020.