New techniques for carbide industry

Press, 9 May 1981, Page 21

New techniques for carbide industry

PA Auckland Plans to establish a $36 million silicon carbide industry in the South Island hinge on pioneering research into new coal processing techniques being conducted by Ceramco, Ltd, and a West German partner. The partners have now switched their proposal to base the industry entirely on Westland coal, instead of the traditional petroleum coke. If the process proves economically feasible, New Zealand technology might lead the world and provide a new use for South Island coal resources. According to Ceramco. local research in this area is ahead of that recently started by other countries, including Australia. In addition, the purity and low-ash content of Westland coal would make it a superior feed material for silicon carbide than that availablerelsewhere. The research has already established that the highswelling quality of the local coal would make it a suitable replacement for petroleum coke, according to Ceramco. “However, a number of technical problems remain,’’ a spokesman said. These were being tackled in dialogue with the West German firm, and with the assistance of the Mines Division and the Coal Research Association. The West German company is already heavily involved in silicon carbide

manufacture using petroleum coke, but interest world-wide has been aroused in the prospects for using the cheaper and more widely available coal alternative.

Ceramco says the technology has been greatly refined in recent months but, although promising, its viability on a commercial basis has yet to be established. Economically, the outlook for the smelting process has been improved by rising world prices for silicon carbide — now around SUS6SO a tonne compared with $6OO when the project was mooted a year ago. Ceramco says that it is keen that any silicon carbide industry here should be based entirely on New Zealand resources — coal, South Island silica, and hydro-elec-tricitv. However, the techni-

cal research was not sufficiently advanced to seek planning approvals or a firm price on electricity from the Government.

Ceramco originally promised a decision to the Government within three months, before its commitment to the coal technology.

However, its file has remained “open and active” and it has supplied routine reports to the Government energy planning committee. The Ceramco spokesman said that original estimates that the industry would cost $36 million to establish, with $lB million in an initial phase, had not greatly changed. Initial production would run about 20,000 tonnes a year, practically all earmarked for export to Japan.