Imerys’ mineral targets

Last week saw world leading industrial minerals group Imerys release its 2012 results, announcing a net income increase and growth in revenue.
It’s always instructive to see where Imerys is heading with regard to expansions and acquisitions in both minerals and markets.

The French company is making its first investment for some time in the fused alumina sector with construction of a $30m white fused alumina plant in Bahrain with Al Zayani Investments.
Product will be aimed at the abrasives and refractories markets, and no doubt the cheap energy sources of the region helped when deciding its location. Production is expected in late 2013.
Subsidiary C-E Minerals’ fused alumina plants take advantage of the hydroelectricity provided in Greeneville, Tennessee, and Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.

In Europe, the acquisition of Goonvean’s kaolin assets in the UK has strengthened the group’s supply to speciality and ceramic markets.\In Asia, Imerys has increased production capacity of “ceramics activity” in Thailand (the group produces kaolin in the Ranong province). Ground calcium carbonate (GCC) production capacity serving the paper and packaging markets was increased in plants in Ipoh, Malaysia, and Miyagi, Japan. The Ipoh operation focusing on GCC grades for the growth in fillers in bi-axially oriented polypropylene used in personal care products.
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Trondheim is home to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and consequently has become recognized for its excellence in science and technology since a century ago in Norway.

Ever since, the town and its suburbs have welcomed many science-based and advanced businesses to establish and grow while the number of fresh start-ups hit a record in 2011.

On January 2013, Norway's leading engineering journal, Teknisk Ukeblad, published a report on the status of technological firms in Trondheim regional territory in the period of 2005-2012.

The report is produced by Impello Management AS and provides readers with a resourceful insight into the status and trend of the technology-based businesses that were born and started growing in Trondheim region.

The trend and the number of new established technological firms in the period 1976-2012 in Trondheim Area which includes the municipalities of Trondheim, Orkdal, Melhus, Malvik, Leksvik, Stjørdal, Rissa, Midtre Gauldal, Klæbu and Skaun, together with the accumulated number of the companies are demonstrated in the report as seen in the graph on top left. The very telling graph shows how rapid the region has been technologically growing over the past ten years.

In the report DHZ Solutions AS is also recognized as an active company in the field of Energy and Environmental Technology ( Energi- og miljøteknologi) and readers are briefed with the state of affairs in the Company.

The full report (in Norwegian language) can be requested from the Teknisk Ukeblad.

IDE Technologies has entered into an agreement with renewable energy company Statkraft to develop a 2 mega-watt Osmotic Power Generation pilot plant in Sunndalsøra, Norway.

Osmotic Energy is a method for producing energy from the mix of fresh water and seawater. Estimates suggest osmotic power alone has a global potential of 1600 to 1700 TWh – the same as China’s total electricity consumption in 2002.
The process works whereby fresh water and salt water are separated, divided by an artificial membrane. Salt molecules in the seawater pull freshwater through the membrane. This increases pressure on the seawater side, which can be used in a power generating turbine.

Under the agreement, IDE will design and later purchase and construct the pilot plant, which will be based on existing technology used in desalination and other industries.
Membranes for the facility are likely to be sourced from supplier Nitto Denko/Hydranautics, after Statkraft signed an agreement back in June 2011.
As part of this new agreement, IDE will design the energy recovery system and the fresh water and seawater pre-treatment.

On the Sunndalsøra development, Statkraft said freshwater for the pilot facility can be collected from the outlet tunnel from the Aura power plant, while seawater can be pumped from a depth of 40 metres further out in the fjord.
Statkraft opened its osmotic power prototype facility in Tofte, Norway, which has been operating since 2009. The facility is also used for testing components, processes and membranes.
Dr. Boris Liberman, VP & CTO Membrane Technology of IDE, said the company has been researching Osmotic Energy production for some time now. He believes this process can result in driving costs down while increasing net energy output.

[Ref.] http://www.waterworld.com/articles/2013/02/osmotic-power-pilot-plant-to-generate-2mw-in-norway.html

Developing a carbon neutral energy system in the Nordic region by 2050 would cost less than 1% of cumulative GNP, a new analysis has revealed.
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden have ambitions to cut emissions 85% by the middle of the century, but so far have lacked a clear strategy.

Backed by the Nordic Council of Ministers and International Energy Agency (IEA), the study reveals wind generation needs to be increased from 3% to 25% in 2050, electric vehicles sales must make up 30% of total sales by 2030, while average energy use must drop by 35%.
Biofuels would be used to power half of all freight transport, while Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology must be fitted to 50% of cement plants and 30% of steel and chemical factories.Benjamin Donald Smith, Senior Adviser at Nordic Energy Research told RTCC the recommendations were realistic and that despite the potential costs involved, all five countries were committed to working on its findings.

“The cost of the infrastructure investment needed is equal to 0.7% of cumulative GNP of the period – which of course is a lot of money – but weighed against the gravity of the climate issue and importance of energy and climate on the political agenda in the region, it begins to seem manageable,” he said.
“The region starts off in a good position, in that you have legacy renewables in terms of hydro, newer expansions in wind in Denmark and Sweden, and significant biomass utilisation – the region’s largest renewable energy source,” he said.
“We can see the five countries have a chance to achieve neutrality and that the different governments have visions of that happening, to differing degrees.

“There is great cooperation on many levels, but there isn’t one accepted analysis that ties all these national visions together and says – ok – this is how the system could be transformed so that these countries achieve their targets.”

Read more ... !

Ref.: http://www.rtcc.org/nordic-states-eye-2050-carbon-neutral-energy-system/

EMSL Analytical offers asbestos testing services to help prevent needless exposure to these potentially deadly fibers.

Millions of homes across America may be contaminated with asbestos tainted vermiculite insulation.  Vermiculite is a light-weight, fire-resistant, and odorless material that has been used in numerous products, including insulation for attics and walls.
 
Although not all materials that contain vermiculite have asbestos, many products containing vermiculite and asbestos were sold in the United States until the 1990s.  According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “If you have vermiculite insulation in your home, you should assume this material may be contaminated with asbestos and be aware of steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from exposure to asbestos.”
 
Studies have shown that breathing asbestos fibers can lead to an increased risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma and respiratory diseases.  Exposure to any airborne asbestos fibers increases the risks of developing these diseases.  The amount and type of asbestos fibers inhaled also impacts people’s health risks.
 
“When materials that contain asbestos are disturbed, asbestos fibers can be released into the air,” reported Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President, Marketing at EMSL Analytical, one of the largest asbestos testing laboratories in North America.  “If people inhale the fibers they are then at risk of developing these asbestos related diseases, sometimes decades later.  Vermiculite insulation that contains asbestos is a real potential health threat.  Homeowners should strongly consider testing any suspicious insulation to ensure it does not contain asbestos.”
 
EMSL has sponsored an educational video about asbestos dangers in the home.  It can be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCpQYuK8ge8
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Ref.: http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=169290