New lab aims to double alumina extraction

摘要

Research at Alcan Inc's new purpose-built, 2.4 million dollars Queensland Research and Development Centre just outside Brisbane is developing environmentally-friendly processes to nearly double the amount of alumina extracted from bauxite. Located at the Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies (QCAT), a joint venture between the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Queensland Government, the laboratory was funded with 1.8 million dollars from the Federal Government and 600,000 dollars from the Queensland Government. Alcan expects to spend 50 million dollars at the laboratory during its 15-year lease. The Federal Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources, Ian Macfarlane MP, and Michael Choi the Member for Capalaba representing Queensland's Minister for State Development and Innovation, Tony McGrady, officially opened the laboratory on July 26.