OSLO, Norway, April 1, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Pará State Environmental Secreteriate (SEMA) has suspended Alunorte's environmental operational license for loading of alumina at its port, Vila do Conde, with effect as of 1 April 2014. This results in the suspension of all loading of alumina with immediate effect. The production of alumina at Alunorte continues unaffected.
SEMA argues that Alunorte has not fulfilled one of the conditions under the license, which is to present a plan to reduce emissions of alumina dust in the port loading operation. Alunorte believes it is already using one of the best available technologies for alumina loading and disagrees with SEMA's understanding that the license condition is not fulfilled.
Alunorte will continue its dialogue with SEMA and expects that the matter will be resolved and that the loading of alumina will resume without affecting production.
Alunorte has a nameplate capacity of 6.3 million tonnes and is the world's largest alumina refinery.
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