Market Potential for Specialty Grades of Hydrate and Alumina

Hi Friends,

We all are well aware that about 10 to 11% of total alumina produced in the World is used for non-metallurgical applications. The hydrate or alumina used for non-metallurgical grades are categorized as Specialty grade or Specialty grades of hydrate and alumina. Generally, these specialty grades of hydrate and alumina are marketed at about 2 to 5 times of metallurgical grade hydrate and alumina. The production of specialty grade hydrates and alumina require additional facilities to attain the desired product quality particularly with respect to purity level, fineness and other specified properties depending on their various industrial applications. The production of specialty grades of hydrate and alumina are 15 to 20% higher than standard hydrate and alumina.

In present scenario, the increasing demand for a few selected grades of hydrate and alumina in domestic as well as International market has pushed the selling price to reasonably high level. Thus, all special alumina producers have jacked up the selling price of their products to a level beyond imagination.  

Here, I would like to put the example of Chemical grade hydrate which is used for manufacture of chemicals like Non-ferric alum, Sodium aluminate, Zeolite-4A and Fire retardant fillers. The production cost of Chemical grade hydrate lies between US$90 to US$100 per tonne in moderately efficient Alumina refineries. Presently, Chemical grade hydrate is being sold at a price between US$330 to US$350 per tonne depending on the geographic location of the plant and proximity to consumers. Similar is the market scenario for many other grades of specialty grade hydrate and alumina.

Observing the tremendous market potential for specialty grades of hydrate and alumina, existing alumina producers are modifying the process circuit for converting the plant from Metallurgical grade to Specialty grades of hydrate and alumina. Also, a few specialty grade alumina plants are under execution and planning stage in the World.

Looking at the past and the present trend, it can be concluded that market potential for specialty grades of hydrate and alumina in future is promising.

Seek your views / comments, if any.

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Thanks and regards.

Kunwar Rajendra