Kassel — K+S Group reports that the Hattorf site of the Werra plant started up again Jan. 2, and as of Jan. 3 resumed full production. Repairs at the fire-damaged site (GM Dec. 2, 2016) were completed in December, and the company was also granted deep-well injection approval. K+S says all sites of the Werra plant are now producing to their full extent. It says the company is making use of all available means of disposal – deep-well injection, discharge into the Werra River, and interim storage of saline solutions below ground, as well as reutilization of tailing pile runoff to flood the Bergmannssegen-Hugo mine. K+S noted that the water levels on the Werra have recently improved, and full production will still depend on those water levels. This is despite the Dec. 23, 2016, approval by the Kassel Regional Council of deep-well injection of wastewater. The long-awaited permit will be valid from Jan. 1, 2017, until Dec. 31, 2021, and enables an annual volume of 1.5 million cubic meters to be injected; 2 million cubic meters had been applied for on average for the years 2016-2021. K+S said assuming a hydrological normal year, full production at the Werra plant should almost be possible in 2017. As of 2018, the commissioning of the new KCF processing plant will have a positive impact on the situation regarding disposal, as wastewater volumes are expected to be reduced 20 percent. K+S says additional measures for wastewater disposal are in the works, including temporary storage at the Springen mining field (Merkers mine), the expansion of on-site basin capacities, and planning for a long-distance pipeline to the Upper Weser region.
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MET to supply AS tech to Sanders Lead
Lebanon, Penn. — Marsulex Environmental Technologies Corp. (MET) and Sanders Lead Co. Inc. have finalized a contract for the supply of MET’s proprietary ammonium sulfate flue gas desulfurization (AS-FGD) system at their Troy, Ala., lead smelter and battery reclamation facility. MET’s scope includes engineering and equipment supply of the AS-FGD system, designed to remove SO2 from the gas stream as well as process an existing waste acid stream, producing a saleable agricultural crop nutrient product. Construction is targeted to commence in 2017, with commercial operation by the end of 2018. MET operated a successful pilot program at the Sanders facility. The AS-FGD technology utilizes ammonia in the capture and ultimate conversion of SO2 into AS, enabling regulatory compliance. MET says the process has many advantages over conventional limestone FGD applications, including reduction and elimination of solid and liquid waste disposal requirements and the associated costs, prevention of internal scale build-up in equipment and vessels, a high-value by-product (AS) revenue stream, and no CO2 greenhouse gas production. MET’s AS-FGD has been in continuous commercial operation since the 1990’s, beginning with the first installation at Dakota Gasification Company’s Beulah, N.D., complex. MET says the technology is now in use throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.
Indorama invests in Uzbekistan fertilizer jv
Tashkent — Singapore’s Indorama Corp. continues to expand its global fertilizer presence, and has acquired – via Indorama Ventures plc – a controlling share in a new fertilizer joint venture being created in Uzbekistan. The new enterprise is being established at the JSC Kokand Superphosphate Plant in the eastern city of Kokand, and Indorama will hold a 75 percent stake in the project, according to the Uzbekistan Today news agency. Indorama Kokand Fertilizers will produce mineral fertilizers using the latest technologies, according to the news agency, citing the press service of Uzbekistan’s Competition Committee. Some $80 million is set to be invested in the project, which will be implemented in several phases within five years. Project plans also include the production of other mineral fertilizers not previously produced in Uzbekistan, such as dicalcium phosphate, potassium sulfate, and potassium nitrate, according to the Uzbekistan Today report.
Fertizona not at fault in ammonia scare
Buckeye, Ariz. — Local fire crews, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), and other state authorities responded to a Fertizona location here Jan. 4 when a noticeable ammonia odor was reported in the area. Although the local area was evacuated and traffic rerouted, emergency responders discovered the likely source of the odor was not at the Fertizona site, but nearby from a small spill of water containing ammonium hydroxide (aqua ammonia). It appeared unknown persons, not connected with Fertizona, had discharged a small amount of the product during the night. ADEQ confirmed that Fertizona and its ammonia storage facilities were not responsible for the odor and were functioning properly. “Fertizona is committed to responsibly handling all of our products to ensure the public’s safety,” said Tyrell Currie, Fertizona safety director. “We were confident that the source of today’s event wasn’t due to any Fertizona employees or equipment.” Fertizona, founded in 1980, sells various liquid and dry fertilizers and other crop inputs in Arizona and through its affiliate Compton Ag Services in California.
Fire contained at Vale fertilizer plant
São Paulo, Brazil — Vale Fertilizantes reported Jan. 6 that a Jan. 5 fire at its Cubatão Industrial Complex – Unit 02 was contained. The employees of neighboring companies are being allowed to come back to work, and residents of the nearby Mantiqueira community, who had been relocated to a nearby school, are returning to their homes. There were no casualties. Two firefighters were taken ill, but have since been reported to be in good health. Vale said the fire was on a conveyor belt that feeds ammonium nitrate to a warehouse. There was an immediate evacuation and production shutdown of the unit. Vale said the gas emissions generated during the burning of the nitrate were quickly contained, and the smoke quickly dissipated. Cubatão is a part of Vale Fertilizantes that The Mosaic Co. does not plan to buy in its recently announced acquisition of Vale assets (GM Dec. 23, 2016).
Colonsay to come up; Lanigan shutdown deferred
Saskatchewan — Workers at two Saskatchewan potash mines received some good news over the holidays. The Mosaic Co. called back some 330 workers for its Colonsay mine in December, with the mine expected to return to production in mid-January. The mine was idled in July 2016, and the workers received layoff notices (GM July 15, 2016); however, expectations at the time were that the shutdown would only be for the rest of the year. “We expect supply reconciliation and demand growth will result in a productive operating environment and are optimistic that 2017 will be a stronger year for the potash industry,” a Mosaic spokesperson told Green Markets Jan. 5. “Our philosophy is always to match supply with our customers’ demand.” The Colonsay mine’s proven production capacity is put at 2.6 million mt/y. On Dec. 23, Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. announced that it would defer a planned six-week shutdown of its Lanigan Mine to the summer in order to manage inventories. The company said the Lanigan downtime will now probably happen as part of the annual maintenance shutdown in the summer or at some other time. PotashCorp said the planned 12-week shutdown at the Allan Mine beginning in February will proceed as planned (GM Nov. 23, 2016). PotashCorp is also cutting 140 jobs at the Cory Mine.
Belaruskali confirms another worker fatality
Soligorsk — A 51-year-old worker died in an accident at JSC Belaruskali’s number three mine on the evening of Jan. 3. Uladzimir Shtylyou was fatally injured in what local media described as a “roof collapse.” Belaruskali said the causes and circumstances of the accident are being investigated. The site is operating normally and production has not been halted, the company said. This is the second accident at Belaruskali in the past two weeks, and is the latest in a series of incidents in recent months. According to local media, a female worker was injured at the granulation facility at the producer’s number one production site on Dec. 25. Last November, a 24-year-old worker was fatally crushed by part of a rock removing machine at the number two mine (GM Nov. 18, 2016). Two workers died in separate incidents last June, while another worker sustained serious injuries in an accident at the number four mine in the same month, according to local media reports. In November 2015, a 27-year old “timberman” died in an explosion following a reported “sudden emission” of methane (GM Nov. 9, 2015).