Scientists from the Vietnam Science and Technology Academy have
confirmed that they can make iron from red mud, the waste created during
alumina production, the English language news website VietNamNet Bridge
reported on May 22.
Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai
officially reported to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee at a
recent meeting that the red mud generated from the Tan Rai and Nhan Co
bauxite projects could be used to make steel and iron that could meet
Japanese standards.
Finished iron samples derived of red mud from
the Tan Rai factory were brought to the meeting and presented to the
Standing Committee’s members.
According to Hai, this initial
success has prompted Vietnam to go further by organising industrial
production. If this project is fully realised, Vietnam would be able to
heighten the efficiency of bauxite projects, reduce environmental
pollution and produce marketable metals as well.
Elaborating on
the plan to produce iron from red mud, Deputy Minister of Science and
Technology Tran Van Tung said unlike that of other countries, the iron
oxide concentrations in dry red mud in the Lam Dong province of Vietnam
are very high (between 46 and 53 percent), which means a total iron
content of 35.7 percent. Therefore, the red mud with poor iron ore can
be used to make pig-iron and steel.
Besides, also according to
Tung, Vietnam has large reserves of limestone, an important element in
making pig iron and steel from red mud.
“These two factors can completely facilitate the production of steel and pig iron from red mud,” he concluded.
The
Vietnam Science and Technology Academy was assigned to try producing
iron. Scientists of the academy suggested two solutions, which both may
later bring success and create iron.
However, only one has been
chosen – the one which consumes less energy than the other, and brings
high economic efficiency, thus allowing for production on an industrial
scale. With this technology, wet red mud will be pressed to create dry
residues.
“100 tonnes of dry mud was carried from Lam Dong
province to the Thai Nguyen Steel Mill in Hung Yen province for
processing. The scientists have used 50 tonnes and have successfully
created iron,” Tung said, adding that this is a completely Vietnamese
technology.
It is estimated that 2.4 tonnes of red mud, costing
1.5 million VND, is enough to produce one ton of iron ore, with a market
price of 1.9 million VND. This means that it would be profitable to
make iron ore from red mud. The profits are expected to be higher if
making steel from the iron ores.
“Now we can say for sure that the red mud problem can be handled,” Tung was quoted as saying.
“We
may not need the reservoirs to hold the red mud in the future, because
it will be processed right after it comes out of the factories. The
environmental problem will no longer be a worry, and we will have a new
source of iron ore,” he added.-VNA