It employs nearly people directly, and indirectly 3000 people in the region are reliant on this one industry, the 20th largest smelter in the world. New zealands aluminium smelter location tiwai point. For example, antaike estimates the actual production capacity for china at. The smelter, located at tiwai point on the southern coast of the south island, was opened in 1971 after a joint venture construction 50% comalco, 25% sumitomo chemical company and 25% showa denko kk. It is one of only two smelters in the world producing ultrahigh purity aluminium. Tiwai point, bluff, invercargill city, southland region, new zealand. The tiwai point aluminium smelter will remain open, with meridian energy remaining its sole electricity supplier at an undisclosed but somewhat improved electricity price for about 30 percent of the smelter s total consumption. Search results page 1 of 1 items national library of. Tiwai point consumes 15% of the countries electricity and gets a reduced rate for its power. Tiwai points owners have history of playing hardball. The tiwai point aluminium smelter has posted an increased bottom line result, although underlying profits have fallen in the face of volatile prices and power costs. Once construction is complete, 672 ra300b pots will be installed in the production shops of the smelter, each pot capable of producing 2. If it is to close, theres a good chance it will be in large part because aluminium prices are low, and have. Patrick smellie reports in the nbr that meridian are unlikely to reach an agreement with rio tinto on renegotiating the 18 year electricity supply agreement for tiwai aluminium smelter i guess its time i should weigh in, and support meridian in standing firm.
Amidst the intense focus on coronavirus, it would be all too easy to forget that the controlling shareholder of new zealands largest single electricity user, the tiwai point aluminium smelter, is. Join our team home, new zealands aluminium smelter. Dr fox wasnt surprised at this latest announcement that tiwai wasnt making a profit and the big bosses were coming in from overseas to. June 4 businessdesk the owner of new zealands sole aluminium smelter says it has delivered a. Primary aluminum producers light metal age magazine. Southland is has many special places for visitors to explore. Studies of community health effects of hazards relevant to primary aluminum smelter emissions benzo. Tiwai point aluminium smelter nzas as seen from bluff hill. Tiwai is close to power generation, and the fact that its hydro power makes it the cleanest operating smelter in the world. Home, new zealands aluminium smelter, tiwai point, manapouri.
A recent 2008 weekly container ship service also lifted the volumes. Tiwai point smelters annual net profit plummets scoop news. The smelter runs on hydro electricity generated by the southern alps rivers to the north particularly the cluthamataau. Phylosophy of the ikot abasi aluminium smelter plant the beginning international project ferrostaal the trusted partner worldwide reynolds aluminum knowhow worldwide the alscon smelter important raw material. The plants alumina is supplied from refineries in queensland and the northern territory of australia. This year it has again led the way by effectively tackling the climate. Fire threatens power to tiwai point aluminium smelter nz herald. Extra power for smelter in tiwai deal otago daily times online news. The efforts to contain a fire near bluff, southland which burnt conservation wetlands and threatened power lines and operations at the aluminium smelter at tiwai point. Treasurys advice to ministers on the potential closure of the tiwai aluminium smelter is relatively upbeat about the benefits and says closure will have a relatively low economic impact with no. About 90% of the 360ktpa aluminium produced is exported. Aluminium smelting requires a large and very reliable power source to continually supply electricity to reduction cells, and tiwai points proximity to the then.
Fire threatens power to tiwai point aluminium smelter nz. Future of tiwai point smelter up in the air rnz news. Hemburrows first job with the global mining giant was with rio tinto alcan the companys aluminium group as a research engineer. It imports alumina and processes it into primary aluminium. Rio tinto stores the waste from its tiwai point aluminium smelter in a disused paper mill in the south island town, an hour away. Helicopters fight scrub fire near tiwai point smelter stuff. Neville ritchie, a university of otago graduate, has been involved in archaeology since 1968 when he took part in salvage excavations on the site of the future tiwai point aluminium smelter. Nov 01, 2019 there have been a lot of controversial pit stops in the smelters 50 year history, with closures and job losses threatened many times. The fire at tiwai peninsula near bluff burned through the night after it began just after 7pm. Press metal has extrusion facilities in malaysia and wuhan in china also has a remelt plant. Tiwai points owners have history of playing hardball otago. Comalco later purchased showa denkos share in april 1986. Ive helped lead a turnaround of an aluminium smelter or two, and have seen the impacts of poorly constructed electricity agreements.
A detailed analysis of the tiwai point aluminium smelter. At one stage the fire was 100 metres away from the main transmission lines. As for tiwai point itself, a decision is expected to be announced on that in march. Simon johnson argues that rio tinto alcan nz nz aluminium smelters ltd, the owner of the tiwai point aluminium smelter is godfathering the smelter, its workforce, the southland economy, the nz electricity market, meridan energy and the poor critically endangered slowbreeding kakapo, as well as godfathering the nz emissions trading scheme to get excessive free allocations of. Tiwai point smelters annual net profit plummets amid volatile pricing. The smelter, which employs more than 3000 people in southland, had claimed its future was in doubt as it sought to cut the price of its electricity supplies through a contract with meridian. It is the southernmost town in mainland new zealand and, despite slope point and stewart island being further south, bluff is colloquially used to refer to the southern extremity of the. Tiwai smelter deal signed between meridian energy and nzas. Sep 11, 2012 the facts are that the 2012 energy data file shows that nz aluminium smelter ltd had cheaper power per unit than any other sector or industry in nz. Follow the concrete path to the reception area to the right of the security gatehouse.
An additional power deal with meridian energy will result in new zealand aluminium smelters daily metal production rising 9%. Community health risk assessment of primary aluminum. The tiwai point aluminium smelter will remain open, with meridian energy remaining its sole electricity supplier at an undisclosed but somewhat improved electricity price for about 30 percent of the smelters total consumption. Despite rising costs and their impact upon the firms bottom line, new zealand aluminium smelter limited nzas still turned a profit in 2016. Stone sculpture, bluff possibly representing the ngai tahu waka oceangoing canoe that in. The tiwai smelter uses 12 per cent of new zealands electricity but it also accounts for 6. New zealands aluminium smelter nzas is new zealands only aluminium smelter and is located on tiwai peninsula, across the harbour from bluff in southland. A deal has been signed that allows aluminium production to continue at bluffs tiwai point smelter, meaning a huge sigh of relief for.
Join our team home, new zealands aluminium smelter, tiwai. The tiwai point aluminium smelter and fossil fuel exploration activity in the great south basin may ensure the future relevance of the port. Jan 24, 2018 the efforts to contain a fire near bluff, southland which burnt conservation wetlands and threatened power lines and operations at the aluminium smelter at tiwai point. New zealand aluminium smelters nzas southland chamber. Decision on rio tintos tiwai point smelter and 800 jobs. New zealand threatens to sue rio tinto after floods. Tiwai point aluminium smelter concerned of linwood. Aluminium smelting technology conference held in queenstown. The tiwai point aluminium smelter is an aluminium smelter owned by rio tinto group. The government yesterday said it had opened discussions with the angloaustralian resource giant in a bid to broker a deal after talks between the smelter and meridian energy broke. Tiwai point aluminium smelter report wood mackenzie.
Tiwai point aluminium smelter squarely in the black. The topic commences in 1904, with the first consideration of the hydroelectric potential of lakes manapouri and te anau, and concludes in 1969 with the signing of the industry agreement which confirmed the construction of an aluminium smelter at tiwai point, bluff. That waste is a class six hazardous substance, capable of generating poisonous ammonia gas when combined with water. New zealand aluminium smelters nzas southland chamber of. The tiwai point aluminium smelter is an aluminium smelter owned by rio tinto group 79. New zealands environment minister has threatened the mining conglomerate rio tinto with legal action over what he says is an outrageous failure to. Park in the visitors carpark on your right as you drive into the site.
However, data from china is often imprecise and varies depending on the source. The facility, new zealands only aluminium smelter, is at tiwai point, near bluff. Rio tinto the ultimate owner of the tiwai point aluminium smelter is no stranger to playing hardball with governments when it comes to securing energy contracts. Stand firm meridian on tiwai we can all win here lance. New zealands aluminium smelter nzas converts alumina into aluminium using renewable hydroelectricity, resulting in one of the lowest carbon footprints for an aluminium smelter in the world. Mukah was the first smelter to be built in malaysia and has a design capacity of 120ktpa. Smelting needs a lot of power it uses electricity equivalent to 776,000 households, or percent of all the power used in new zealand. Nzas owns new zealands only aluminium smelter and located on the tiwai peninsula, across the harbour from the community of bluff. Southland new zealand activity highlights, things to do in. The future of the smelter hangs in the balance as rio looks to sell many of its. However, the firm warns that, should relief for its rising power costs not be forthcoming, the financial numbers in coming years may be printed with red ink. In 1977 he was appointed project archaeologist on the clutha power project, a position he held for 10 years until the completion of the project in 1987.
Tiwai smelter deadline delayed by a month newscomau. Tiwai point aluminium smelter new zealand comalco cz at the best online prices at ebay. The tiwai point aluminium smelter is an aluminium smelter owned by rio tinto group and the sumitomo group, via a joint venture called new zealand aluminium smelters limited. Commissioned in 1971 it is operated by new zealand smelters ltd nzas. Nzas is a tolling plant, producing primary aluminium in the form of ingot, billet. Oct 23, 2019 the tiwai point aluminium smelter has posted an increased bottom line result, although underlying profits have fallen in the face of volatile prices and power costs. The smelter is located on tiwai peninsula in southland and the majority of the plants alumina is. There was also a history of shoulder discomfort after performing this task. Feb 12, 2020 new zealands environment minister has threatened the mining conglomerate rio tinto with legal action over what he says is an outrageous failure to deal with toxic waste from an aluminium. Around 90 per cent of the aluminium produced at nzas is exported, mainly.
Helicopters fight scrub fire near tiwai point smelter. A large wildfire in southland is threatening electricity supply to the countrys aluminium smelter. A deal has been signed that allows aluminium production to continue at bluffs tiwai. They own 79% the tiwai point aluminium smelter at the bottom of nz.
Southland new zealand activity highlights and fun things to do. His first contact with new zealand aluminium smelters nzas at tiwai point was back in 1995 when he took a role as a project engineer involved in an upgrade in one of the process areas at the aluminium smelter. Dr fox wasnt surprised at this latest announcement that tiwai wasnt making a profit and the big bosses were coming in from overseas to have a look at the operation. Smelting needs a lot of power it uses electricity equivalent to 776,000 households, or per cent of all the power used in new zealand. Mar 29, 20 rio tinto the ultimate owner of the tiwai point aluminium smelter is no stranger to playing hardball with governments when it comes to securing energy contracts. Jun 04, 2019 tiwai point smelters annual net profit plummets amid volatile pricing. The location is the site of an aluminium smelter, owned by rio tinto and the sumitono group as the new zealand aluminium smelters ltd. New zealand threatens to sue rio tinto after floods threatened toxic. Tiwai point smelter looks safe, despite global glut.
Treasury relaxed over potential tiwai smelter closure. Firefighters worked through the night to control a blaze burning in vegetation near the tiwai point smelter in southland. Tiwai point aluminium smelter, bluff bonisch consultants. Treasury relaxed over potential tiwai smelter closure scoop.
The future of the tiwai point aluminium smelter appears to have become a little more secure, with the rio tintocontrolled plant thought to be roughly breaking even, largely thanks to a lower new zealand dollar and the fact the price of alumina has fallen more than that of the finished product. The boguchany aluminium smelter will use the prebaked anode reduction process, the most popular aluminium production process in the world, at the moment. Motupohue, previously known as campbelltown and often referred to as the bluff, is a town and seaport in the southland region, on the southern coast of the south island of new zealand. Actual worldwide production in 2019 was some 66 million tonnesof which 35 million was from china. Tiwai point aluminium smelter profitable in 2016 despite. Its helter skelter for the smelters the australian. New zealand aluminium smelters nzas is back in top spot in this category after winning in 2004 for its workplace safety programme and being a finalist in 2006 for its efforts to eliminate waste.
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