Bluff smelter may grow if Aramoana proposal fails

Press, 29 March 1982, Page 1

Bluff smelter may grow if Aramoana proposal fails

PA Wellington Japanese interests have proposed that the existing Bluff aluminium smelter be expanded if the proposed second Aramoana smelter project falls through.

The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said last evening that the Japanese interests involved in the Tiwai Point smelter had proposed' that fourth and fifth potlines be added. Mr Muldoon said that elec-

tricity for such expansions would only be available if the Aramoana smelter did not go ahead. Expansion at Tiwai Point would be an option if a third partner were not found for the Aramoana project, he said.

Two Japanese companies. Sumitomo and Showa Denke. have a half-share in the New Zealand Aluminium Smelter. Ltd. plant at Tiwai Point. The other partner in the Tiwai Point smelter. Comalco. suggested expan*i sion at Bluff two years, ago. ; by adding two potlines. At the same time the project was regarded as being on the same scale as the proposed second smelter. Under Comalco's two-year-old proposal, output at tiwai Point would have increased from 228.000 tonnes a year to 435.000 tonnes. .

Pletcher Challenge's executive director. Mr Barry Downey, announced last Friday that Kaiser Aluminium and Chemical Corporation of America had withdrawn from equity and technology talks on the proposed Aramoana project. He said the withdrawal had been by mutual agreement and that the French Pechiney group was now the only likely third participant with Fletcher and the CSR. Ltd. subsidiary. Gove Aluminium. Mr Downey declined to comment when asked if the Aramoanh project was likely to be postponed.