Section: CRUSU Industry News

Arianne Phosphate has provided samples of its phosphate concentrate for processing at Travertine’s facility in Boulder, Colorado, US. Pilot scale testing was successfully performed, demonstrating proof of concept on the process and production of a high-quality purified phosphoric acid (PPA). The Travertine process captures and recycles over 95% of the sulphur used in the process of making PPA, providing a virtually closed loop system. The PPA produced using the process met specifications required for both LFP batteries as well as fertilizers. The companies have begun work to advance the PPA demonstration plant in Quebec’s Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, working with potential partners as well as end-users of the product.

Hongda's 100,000 t/a zinc smelter, in China's Sichuan Province, completed scheduled maintenance and equipment upgrading and officially resumed production on 21st June, the company said. The smelter had been shut down for planned maintenance since January, during which time a modernisation project for the electrolytic zinc smelting system was also carried out. Following the nearly six-month revamp, the resumption of production is expected to improve overall operational efficiency, reduce unit production costs, and increase the utilisation rate, The company said. The stable supply of sulphuric acid generated by the zinc smelter will effectively leverage the synergies of the "sulphur-phosphorus" industrial chain in the company, an help alleviate cost pressures on the company's phosphorus chemical business segment.

The immediate threat to Canadian sulphur supply from the Alberta oilsands has eased, after several large wildfires in the Lac la Biche region were classified as “being held” with the help of rainfall in early June. The region has a combined annual sulphur production capacity of nearly 3 million t/a. Around 700,000 t/a of this is produced in the Edmonton area, primarily from Shell’s Scotford upgrader (580,000 t/a) and the Redwater refinery (130,000 t/a). The majority of the output, approximately 2.2 million t/a, is concentrated further north near Fort McMurray at facilities operated by Suncor, Syncrude, and CNRL Horizon. The out-of-control fires prompted evacuation alerts near in-situ sites operated by Cenovus, Canadian Natural Resources, and ConocoPhillips. While this specific threat has passed, the event highlights the seasonal vulnerability of Canadian sulphur supply, with the wildfire season typically running through the summer.

Gouda Refractories Group has acquired Revestimientos Refractarios (RR), based in Madrid. Founded in 1979, RR specialises in the installation of refractory materials, serving customers across a wide range of industries, including petrochemicals, (waste to) energy, cement, and other industrial sectors. It is a trusted partner for the installation of refractory materials, hexmesh, anchoring, engineering, technical assistance, project management, inspections and supervision for shutdowns and turnarounds across the European Union. The company has a long history of cooperation with Gouda Refractories, which has intensified in recent years and which, due to a natural moment of succession, has led to this acquisition.

Axens says that it has strengthened its collaboration with Egyptian Refining Company (ERC) via a long-term agreement aimed at maximising asset value and supporting ERC’s evolving needs in product supply, digital transformation, and refinery performance optimisation. Under the agreement, Axens will use its integrated portfolio of technologies, equipment, catalysts, and services to support ERC’s operational, economic, and sustainability objectives.

Russian gas producer Gazprom and fertilizer giant PhosAgro have signed a new five-year agreement for the supply of sulphur, according to a report from Interfax on 5 June. The deal, signed at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), will see Gazprom continue to supply the key raw material for PhosAgro’s phosphate fertilizer production. The document was signed by Gazprom Deputy Chairman Vitaly Markelov and PhosAgro CEO Alexander Gilgenberg.

Cartagena Refinery has entered the solid sulphur market, diversifying its petrochemical portfolio, according to a company statement on 21 May. The first shipment of 260 tonnes has already been dispatched to the domestic market. This new venture is enabled by a recently commissioned pelletising plant that converts liquid sulphur into solid pellets, with a production capacity of 1,000 t/d. The refinery is targeting Colombia’s fertilizer, chemical, and mining industries, and is also planning to export to international markets, including Brazil, Peru, and countries in Africa.

Members of the lower house in Chile’s Congress have unanimously approved creation of a special investigative commission to examine a series of alleged irregularities at state-owned copper producer Codelco. The issues are: overestimation of production by almost 27,000 t last year; a multimillion-dollar renovation of the company’s headquarters in Santiago; and, maybe, the collapse of a chimney at Potrerillos copper smelter in the Atacama region of northern Chile. The structural failure has forced a production suspension.

Russia has ordered a “temporary cessation” of rail transport of all sulphur originating from Kazakhstan that is destined for Russian seaports and railway checkpoints, representing a significant policy shift, according to an official order from the Federal Agency for Railway Transport (Roszheldor). The directive, which took effect from May 26th, orders a halt to the loading and movement of Kazakh sulphur “until further notice.” While the measure is officially described as temporary, the order provides no specific timeline for when the transit might resume. The action cites instructions from Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister, D.V. Manturov, as its basis.

Nickel Industries announced started up the sulphuric acid plant at its new Excelsior Nickel Cobalt (ENC) HPAL project in the final week of June. The ENC Project is a massive, multi-billion dollar high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) facility located in the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is operated by Australia’s Nickel Industries to supply battery-grade materials for the electric vehicle (EV) market. At capacity, it is expected to yield roughly 72,000 t/a of contained nickel equivalent as mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP), nickel sulphate, and nickel cathode.