Showa Denko to Launch Joint FS for Indonesian Alumina Project

Showa Denko announced on Wednesday the firm, Marubeni Corporation, ANTAM of Indonesia and Straits Trading Amalgamated Resources (STAR) agreed to start feasibility study for alumina plant in Tayan district, West Kalimantan of Indonesia. They seek to produce chemical grade alumina and aluminium hydrate at annual 300,000 tonnes in region with high-quality bauxite. They establish joint venture in July for the FS and finishes studies including required investment, environmental assessment and financing in the year for the final decision. Showa Denko produces aluminium hydrate and alumina for chemical at Yokohama plant and supplies them mainly for domestic market. The sales were 61.9 billion yen for the inorganic materials in the year to December 2005, of which a third was for the ceramics business. The chemicals represented the major part of the ceramics business. The firm produces alumina products with bauxite containing around 50% of alumina. The firm disposes the residue, main part of which is iron oxide and silicon dioxide, in the sea under domestic law. The firm plans to terminate the sea disposal by 2015. ANTAM, which was established in 1968 and is controlled 65% by Indonesian government, operates mining, processing and export businesses for gold, nickel and bauxite. STAR, was established in 2004, is an investment company.