Work Begins on Vietnams Largest Alumina Plant

<div align="justify">Construction of a US$466-million alumina plant, the largest of its kind in Vietnam, was kicked off in central highland Lam Dong province July 26, state media reported.</div> <div align="justify"> </div> <div align="justify">The plant is part of the US$687-million Lam Dong bauxite and aluminum complex which is invested by the Vietnam National Coal-Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin). The complex is set to cover 2,297 hectares of land.</div> <div align="justify"> </div> <div align="justify">The China Aluminum International Engineering Co. (Chalieco) won the contract build the plant within two years.</div> <div align="justify"> </div> <div align="justify">Initially, the alumina plant is set to turn out annually 600,000 tons of alumina, a white powder for producing aluminum.</div> <div align="justify"> </div> <div align="justify">The plant is scheduled to go on stream late 2010 to make total revenues of VND3.5 trillion (US$212.12 million) in 2011.</div> <div align="justify"> </div> <div align="justify">&ldquoThe plant is the start-up of the aluminum industry in Vietnam. It is important to the aluminum industry in particular and the country&rsquos industrial sector in general in next decades&rdquo said Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai at the breaking-ground ceremony.</div> <div align="justify"> </div> <div align="justify">The alumina plant is expected to help boost socio-economic development in the central highlands, he added.</div> <div align="justify"> </div> <div align="justify">According to Vinacomin, the facility will use raw material - bauxite ore - at the Tay Tan Rai Mine in Lam Dong province, which has an estimated reserves at 67 million tons.</div> <div align="justify"> </div> <div align="justify">Vinacomin also plans to build an aluminum hydrate plant with a capacity of 400,000-600,000 tons annually in Di Linh district. (Investment, News) </div>