Worsley Alumina completes billion-dollar expansion

19/7/00
Resources Development Minister Colin Barnett today congratulated Worsley Alumina on the completion of the billion-dollar expansion of its alumina refinery at Worsley, south of Perth.
Mr Barnett said this complex and enormous project was completed on time and Worsley was able to continue production from the existing facilities during the expansion.
He said the project provided a major boost to the economy of Western Australia's South-West region during construction, achieving a local content level of more than 80 per cent.
Major pieces of new equipment were installed to increase capacity at the refinery by 1.22 million tonnes to 3.1 million tonnes a year.
The work program contributed about $1 million every day to the South-West's economy during the 32-month construction period and employed more than 2,000 Western Australians at its peak.
"One of Worsley's major customers is the new Mozal aluminium smelter in Mozambique," Mr Barnett said.
"The long-term contract based on this increased capacity has lifted Australia to Mozambique's second largest trading partner after South Africa."
Mr Barnett said the expansion project also included the construction of a $90 million gas-fired co-generation plant to provide for Worsley's additional steam and electricity requirements.
The plant, which was owned by the South West Cogeneration Joint Venture (Western Power 50 per cent and Fletcher Challenge 50 per cent), also supplied about 110 megawatts into the Western Power grid.
The upgrade was expected to further reduce costs at Worsley, cementing WA's position as the lowest cost alumina production centre in the world.
Production began at the Worsley refinery in 1984 and reached its capacity of one million tonnes of alumina per annum the following year.
The Worsley joint venture is currently made up of Reynolds Australia Alumina (56 per cent), Billiton Australia Alumina (30 per cent), Kobe Alumina Associates (10 per cent) and Nissho Iwai Alumina (four per cent).
Western Australia currently supplies about 20 per cent of the world's alumina from the bauxite deposits of the Darling Range.
Media contact: Diana Callander 9222 9699