Alumina and Bauxite System Efficiency Improvements
for
Bauxilum’s Alumina Plant

Client Han-Padron Associates, LLP (now CH2M HILL) 22 Cortland Street New York, New York 10007

for

CVG Bauxilum Zona Industrial Materials PTO Ordaz, Bolivar Venezuela

Global Materials Services Venezuela C.C. Torre Loreto II, Piso 3 Oficina 3, Puerto Ordaz Estado Bolivar, Venezuela

Completion Date

May, 2004

Project Description

As part of CVG-Bauxilum’s initiative to improve plant efficiency and production, the alumina and bauxite handling systems were examined. Working with the operating and maintenance departments, system impediments were identified and investigated. These were presented and examined by CVG-Bauxilum in a series of meetings. CVG-Bauxilum provided the necessary input and direction to focus the investigation on those specific improvements that will best benefit plant operations.

CVG Bauxilum’s process improvement programs require a dependable and continuous feed of raw material. A continuous flow of bauxite and sufficient quantities of dry stockpiles are key elements needed by the red side processing system, which is the raw material feed system to the plant. In addition, system interface bottlenecks had developed as plant production increased and the source of raw material changed. As plant production and capabilities increased, the interfaces within the material handling system became more important. Equipment and system components that were adequate for their original production level and functional requirements had become bottlenecks at current the operating tonnages. A variety of material handling system improvements were examined to correct those bottlenecks that most hamper production.

Bauxite system improvements included a bypass conveyor that would alleviate conflicts experienced for dual purpose system components, silo filling system improvements to eliminate system starts/stops during normal plant operations, and conveyor horsepower upgrades to alleviate overload conditions that were causing emergency conveyor stop conditions.

Alumina system improvements examined technologies that would increase the amount of alumina that can be exported, reduce the amount of spillage and dust emission, and eliminate a major cause of product contamination, which was a key concern for customers. As part of this investigation, both pipe belt conveyors and an air slide conveyor system were examined for the alumina improvements.