Nzas, also known as the tiwai point smelter, produced 351,000 mt of primary aluminum in 2019. Oct 16, 2020 the tiwai point smelter in new zealand operated at about 90% of its capacity in q3 as the plant prepares to cease operations in 2021, rio tinto said. Greenpoint may be far flung but the story it tells about the development of. Rio tinto increases vap aluminum output in q3 on market.
Benje patterson says the economic viability of the tiwai point. Join in the fun at the bluff oyster and southland seafood festival. Eyewitness follows the history of the tiwai point aluminium smelter. This includes spent cell liner scl waste that contains cyanide and toxic fluoride, and is banned from being buried untreated in both the us and australia. Expansion at tiwai point aluminium smelter with 4th potline. A general view of the tiwai point aluminium smelter. Rio tinto, the majority owner of new zealands aluminium smelter nzas at tiwai point, recently announced their decision to close the smelter by the end of 2021.
Mar 18, 2021 the report says the global aluminium market is becoming dominated by highly efficient and lowcost smelters in canada and china, which tiwai point was unable to compete with. The tiwai point aluminium smelter is an aluminium smelter owned by rio tinto group and the sumitomo group, via a joint venture called new zealand aluminium smelters limited. Environment minister david parker admitted this in slamming new zealands aluminium smelter nzas this week, saying he was incredibly frustrated at the uncooperative company. Jan 15, 2020 meridian is aware of the enpot technology and we have been talking to rio tinto about its application at the tiwai point aluminium smelter for some time to understand what potential it might have for the smelter and as a means to integrating an innovative demand response mechanism into the new zealand market, a spokesperson said. Wednesday is d day for the future of the tiwai point aluminium smelter near bluff when its owners decide whether they want to give meridian energy notice they want to terminate the smelter s electricity contract. Jul 14, 2020 another year, another round of hostagetaking by the owners of the tiwai point aluminium smelter. Tiwai point and the governments role in transition tvhe.
Showing results 19 of 9 for tiwai point aluminium smelter. New zealands aluminium smelter nzas has confirmed it will move the remaining ouvea premix currently stored at the former paper mill in mataura to tiwai point to be stored as it awaits processing and export. The positive, practical solution for tiwai point scoop news. Tiwai point aluminium smelter near bluff is one of the few big manufacturing businesses working through the lockdown. New zealands aluminium smelter reopens its fourth potline previously mothballed in 2012 due to high aluminium prices and rising power prices. Hamilton said the smelter had operated at tiwai point for 50 years and during that time environmental monitoring regimes had evolved. Closure of tiwai point presents opportunity russel norman. Nz power discount keeps rio tintos tiwai point smelter alive. Thats because shutting it down properly takes weeks, and restarting it takes. A modest proposal for the future of the smelter at tiwai point. Rio tinto announces plans to close tiwai point smelter.
Tiwai point anarchist history of new zealand anarkiwi. The winddown of operations is expected to be completed by august 2021, when. In the 1960s, tiwai point was chosen as the location for an aluminium smelter for a number of reasons. Rio tinto smelter in new zealand to close with loss of 1,000.
Media in category tiwai point aluminium smelter the following 11 files are in this category, out of 11 total. The location is the site of an aluminium smelter, owned by rio tinto and the sumitono group as the new zealand aluminium smelters ltd. Oct 30, 2019 a rio tinto closure team will arrive at the tiwai point aluminium smelter near bluff next week to assess what needs to be done if a decision is made to close the site. Angloaustralian metals mining giant rio tinto group and the government of new zealand both committed yesterday to continue talks aimed at continuing operations at the troubled aluminium smelter at tiwai point.
Tiwai point aluminium smelter to keep operating until end. Aluminium smelting requires a large and very reliable power source to continually supply electricity to reduction cells, and tiwai points proximity to the then. It is a joint venture company owned by rio tinto alcan 79. Outlines the history of the tiwai point aluminium smelter. Tiwai point closure expert reaction science media centre. Neville ritchie, a university of otago graduate, has been involved in archaeology since 1968 when he took part in salvage excavations on the site of the future tiwai point aluminium smelter. Jan 14, 2021 the threatened tiwai point aluminium smelter will keep operating through to the end of december 2024, in a new deal just announced to the new zealand stock exchange. There were over 125 attendees, with representatives from smelters in argentina, canada, china, europe and the middle east, as well as all australian smelters and nzas. Southland mayors hopeful tiwai point aluminium smelter can. Nz first leader winston peters to meet with tiwai point. Only one other plant in the world comes close, that being an alcoa smelter in tennessee. Smelting needs a lot of power it uses electricity equivalent to 776,000 households, or per cent of all the power used in new zealand. Jul 15, 2020 the international conglomerate rio tinto announced on july 9 that it will shut new zealand aluminium smelters nzas, known as the tiwai point smelter, within 18 months. Tiwai point aluminium smelter to keep operating until end of.
Why we need the tiwai point aluminium smelter 18 jan, 2021 08. Rio tinto has a history of hard line haggling with the government for financial assistance and. Visit fred and myrtles paua housea house entirely decorated in abalone shell. The threatened tiwai point aluminium smelter will keep operating through to the end of december 2024, in a new deal just announced to the. Details the latest negotiations between rio tinto, meridian energy and the government to enable the tiwai pt. The most straightforward idea is to simply channel all the hydropower from. Toxic waste buried at tiwai point aluminium smelter, former. Southlands mayors have vowed to fight for more than 2500 jobs under threat when tiwai point aluminium smelter closes. Although the smelter is said to produce some of the worlds purest aluminium, the reality is that aluminium buyers arent prepared to pay enough of a premium for tiwai s product to ensure the smelter s longterm survival. Taxpayers pinged for tiwai point toxic waste cleanup, site. The eventual closure of the tiwai point aluminium smelter is an inevitability that needs to be embraced.
Apr 06, 2021 toxic waste buried at tiwai point aluminium smelter, former staff say investigators are looking into claims highly toxic waste has been buried in unmapped sites at tiwai point aluminium smelter. Jul 09, 2020 more than 1,000 jobs will be lost in new zealand after mining giant rio tinto said it would close an aluminium smelter at the bottom of the south island new zealand aluminium smelters nzas, at. Aluminium smelting requires a large and very reliable power source to continually supply electricity to reduction cells, and tiwai points proximity to the then proposed manapouri power station made it an attractive location. Expansion at tiwai point aluminium smelter with 4th. Closure may strain local labour market southland express.
An aerial shot of the tiwai point aluminium smelter. Rio announced the closure of the tiwai point smelter in july 2020, triggering exit clauses in its new zealand power contract which still had another decade to run and saying the facility would close by august because the company had not been able to secure the power price reduction needed to keep the smelter. As always, rio tinto has made the first move, threatening to close new zealand aluminium smelters. It uses percent of new zealands electricity,and is reported to account for 10 percent of the southland regions economy. Rio tintos dangling the potential closure of tiwai point. Southland new zealand activity highlights, things to do in. Rio tintos new zealand aluminium smelter nzas in tiwai point will continue to operate until december 31, 2024 after reaching an electricity. What tiwai point closure means for carbon emissions. There were great views across foveaux straight at stewart island, of the giant tiwai point aluminium smelter just across from bluff, and of the peninsual joining bluff to the mainland. Rio tinto will wind up operations at its tiwai point aluminium smelter in august next year blaming high.
The smelter was opened in 1971 following the construction of the manapouri power station by the new zealand government to supply it with electricity. A priority of the new government is to reach an agreement with the owners of the tiwai point aluminium smelter that will result in the plant near bluff staying open for three to five more years, a. Discussions continue with the new zealand government and meridian energy on next steps relating to the winddown of operations and eventual closure of the tiwai point aluminium smelter, rio. Jan, 2021 the tiwai point aluminium smelter is southlands largest employer and new zealands largest single user of electricity. Environment minister david parker said the company had a history of crying wolf to government to earn concessions and hed had enough. Tiwai point aluminium smelter en aluminium smelter in new zealand en tiwai point aluminium smelter. New zealand threatens to sue rio tinto after floods. In a statement emailed to reuters, rio tintos managing director of pacific operations kellie parker said that the fact that the political will to. Tiwai point smelter stockpiles 100,000 tonnes of hazardous waste. Tiwai s highpurity output totals around 350,000 tonnes, or a bit over half of one percent of that. Toxic waste buried at tiwai point, former staff say otago. Apr 05, 2021 hamilton said the smelter had operated at tiwai point for 50 years and during that time environmental monitoring regimes had evolved. Future of tiwai point smelter up in the air youtube.
The smelter, which commenced operations in 1971, produces around 360,000 tonnes of aluminium each year. Jul 31, 2020 tiwai point, and the end of new zealands biggest energy customer. Tiwai point aluminium smelter to close next year newshub. New zealand aluminium smelters limited nzas owns and operates new zealands only aluminium smelter at tiwai point, near bluff. Tiwai point is chosen for an aluminium smelter due to its proximity to the thenproposed manapouri power station, the deep sea port of bluff and the infrastructure of invercargill. Oct 19, 2020 a priority of the new government is to reach an agreement with the owners of the tiwai point aluminium smelter that will result in the plant near bluff staying open for three to five more years, a. But the extension of the tiwai point smelter will be its last, according to both companies, with rio not changing its decision that the new zealand aluminium producer will not be a part of its. Page 1 of 3 items national library of new zealand national. The eventual closure of the tiwai point aluminium smelter is an. How aluminium is made home, new zealands aluminium smelter. The smelter is located on tiwai peninsula in southland and the majority of the plants alumina is supplied from our yarwun operation and queensland alumina limited refineries. Smelter future in political spotlight otago daily times online news. The 12 th australasian aluminium smelting technology conference was held in queenstown from 27 december. Spy tv movies books music culture sideswipe competitions.
The tiwai point aluminium smelter at bluff has stockpiled more than 100,000 tonnes of. Tiwai is one of very few smelters powered by renewable electricity, although it is still far from carbon zero the carbon anodes yield one molecule of co2 for every molecule of aluminium metal. New zealand aluminium smelter to close, axing 1,000 jobs. Nz government threatens to sue rio tinto over outrageous. However, there are early signs of a price premium emerging for highpurity aluminium with low carbon emissions. Nz first leader winston peters to meet with tiwai point aluminium smelter workers jo moir. Approximately 90 per cent of the aluminium produced is exported, the largest market being japan. Tiwai point aluminium smelter nzas as seen from bluff hill. The government will pay half of the estimated million. Investigators are looking into claims highly toxic waste has been buried in unmapped sites at tiwai point aluminium smelter. Sep 28, 2020 labour would negotiate to extend the life of the tiwai point aluminium smelter by three to five years if elected, it says.
Tiwai point s aluminium smelter near bluff will close next year, rio tinto has announced, in what will be a massive blow for the southland region. Labour commits to tiwai pt aluminium smelter extension. It imports alumina and processes it into primary aluminium. New zealand aluminium smelters nzas information release. In 1977 he was appointed project archaeologist on the clutha power project, a position he held for 10 years until the completion of the project in 1987. Wednesday, 23 october 2019future of tiwai point smelter up in the air sky new zealandup to jobs are on the line as rio tinto looks at shutting up shop. Tiwai point, bluff, invercargill city, southland region, new zealand. Recent new zealand history with other international companies such as. It comprises a tolling plant producing primary aluminium in the form of ingot, billet and rolling block. The company says it is working on solutions to deal with it. While its news was met with cynicism by stakeholders, and the government ruled out giving it a subsidy, it was a bombshell nonetheless. First published by rnz this includes spent cell liner scl waste that contains cyanide and toxic fluoride, and is banned from being buried untreated in both the us and australia. Theres no doubt its closure will have a major impact on the southland economy. New zealand aluminium smelters ltd and the environmental defence society today reached an agreement to remove 8000 tonnes of ouvea premix from the southland town of mataura over the next eight to 12 weeks.
Tiwai point is the only aluminium smelter in new zealand. The tiwai point aluminium smelter is an aluminium smelter owned by rio tinto group 79. Concerns over stockpile of hazardous waste at new zealand aluminium smelter concerns have been raised over a stockpile of hazardous waste at rio tintos tiwai point aluminium smelter. The dam was built by lowpaid, slack, alcoholic, itinerant workers from overseas eg. Parker frustrated with tiwai smelter southland express. But in two other ways the cost of electricity, and the reduction in carbon emissions the closure could have significant benefits if the. Rio tinto uturns on tiwai point aluminium smelter closure by. The smelter is located on tiwai peninsula in southland and the majority of the plants alumina is supplied from our yarwun operation and queensland alumina. Around 90 per cent of the aluminium produced at nzas is exported, mainly to japa. The company acted immediately to remedy any past noncompliances and will close the smelter in a responsible manner, including removing all spent cell lining from the site, hamilton said. Concern lingers for tiwai point aluminium smelters future.
Home, new zealands aluminium smelter, tiwai point, manapouri. The facility, new zealands only aluminium smelter, is at tiwai point, near bluff. Tiwai aluminium smelter at bluff we picked up the car then drove out to foveaux point and then to the top of the bluff. Visit the maritime museum for an insight into the regions fascinating maritime history.
New zealands aluminium smelter nzas converts alumina into aluminium using renewable hydroelectricity, resulting in one of the lowest carbon footprints for an aluminium smelter in the world. Reports that rio tinto is open to delaying the closure of the tiwai point aluminium smelter opens the door for the next government to take a positive, practical approach on the issue, says. Labour leader jacinda ardern and energy spokesperson megan woods are greeted in southland by invercargill mayor tim shadbolt. The government tried to get the tiwai point aluminium smelter to clean up toxic waste at its southland site but failed. The greens are seeing the bright side in the closure of new zealands biggest energy user. Jul 09, 2020 rio tinto has just announced that it will wind down new zealand aluminium smelters, best known as tiwai point smelter. Jul 16, 2020 an aerial shot of the tiwai point aluminium smelter. It was a response to a plan to raise the level of lake manapouri by 8 m for a hydroelectric power scheme that would supply a new aluminium smelter at tiwai point. The threatened tiwai point aluminium smelter will keep operating through to the end of december 2024, in a new deal just announced to the new zealand stock exchange.
Southlanders keen to see the tiwai point aluminium smelter. Tiwai pointer home, new zealands aluminium smelter, tiwai. Nice aluminium smelter you got, be a shame if something happened to it 6 december 2012 nzas tiwai point information release pdf 55. Tiwai point aluminium smelter is a government programme of national 2. Nzas chief executive stew hamilton confirmed members of the rio tinto closure team would travel to tiwai next week and be at the smelter for four days.
Tiwai point aluminium smelter to keep operating until end of 2024. Page 1 of 1 items national library of new zealand national. Plans for the eventual closure of the tiwai point smelter will include extensive stakeholder consultation. Rio tinto has announced the smelter will close in august next year, citing. World aluminium production exceeds 60 million tonnes annually. Former staff of the smelter report burying of spent cell linings containing cyanide and toxic fluoride or contaminated material in various parts of the tiwai site, said the report into key matters for cleaning up. The smelter is located on tiwai peninsula in southland and the majority of the plants alumina is supplied from our yarwun operation and queensland. The wing roots of the airbus a380 are made from it. Under current market conditions and with high energy costs, we expect the short to medium outlook for the aluminium industry to be challenging and this. Rio tinto to close tiwai point aluminium smelter in 2021. Do both rio tinto and the government want tiwai smelter. The plants alumina is supplied from refineries in queensland and the northern territory of australia. Tiwai aluminium smelter a priority for new government. Jul 10, 2020 the announcement tiwai point aluminium smelter will close by august next year is a massive blow for the southland economy, in particular the 2600 people employed directly or indirectly by the plant.
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