Norwegian aluminium producer Norsk Hydro expects capacity usage at its bauxite and alumina division in Brazil to average 75-85% through the rest of 2019, and full capacity to be reached in 2021, while Minera????o Paragominas and Alunorte resume normal operations.
Capacity usage is expected to be around 85-95% in 2020, the company said during its annual investor day in the Norwegian capital of Oslo on Tuesday September 24.Meanwhile, the Brazil-based aluminium smelter Albras, in which Hydro holds a 51% stake, should achieve 100% throughput by the end of this year, the company added.Albras began moving up past the 50%-throughput mark in May. Since then, Brazilian primary aluminium output has been improving and total production reached 54,900 tonnes in July, up by 6.4% from 51,600 tonnes in the same month a year before, according to industry association Abal.It was the first increase on an annual basis of comparison since November 2017."Ramp-up at Alunorte and Paragominas is...