COLLIE, Australia (September 9, 1997) -- Worsley Alumina Pty. Ltd. today 
announced an A$800 million expansion program that will increase annual 
capacity of the Worsley Alumina Refinery by 65% to 3.1 million tons from 
1.88 million metric tons.  A related project initiated last year will 
increase the plant's current capacity of 1.73 million metric tons to 
1.88 metric tons by mid-1998.

In addition to increasing capacity, the new project will further reduce 
operating costs and improve product quality such as physical and chemical 
parameters. Construction will begin next month with completion scheduled 
for the second quarter in the year 2000.  

Additional equipment will be installed and upgrades made throughout the 
integrated mining and alumina refinery operations, including the mine site, 
overland conveyor and the systems for digestion, separation, precipitation, 
calcination and handling.

Worsley's bauxite mines are located near the town of Boddington, 
approximately 112 miles south of Perth.  The bauxite is transported by 
overland conveyor to the alumina refinery.  From there, the alumina is 
transported by rail to the Port of Bunbury.  Worsley's proven bauxite 
reserves are sufficient for the next 35 years, at the expanded production 
level.

Worsley Alumina Pty. Ltd. is manager of the Worsley Joint Venture, which 
was formed in 1980.  The current joint venturers are Reynolds Australia 
Alumina, Ltd. (56%), Billiton Australia Pty. Limited (30%), Kobe Alumina 
Associates (Australia) Pty. Ltd. (10%), and Nissho Iwai Alumina Pty. 
Limited (4%). Construction of the Worsley refinery began in 1980, and 
production stared in 1984. 

Kobe Alumina Associates is a joint venture between Kobe Steel, Ltd. (40%), 
Nissho Iwai Corp. (35%), and Itochu Corp. (25%).

                                   # # #

For more information please contact in Tokyo, Japan:

Kobe Steel, Ltd.                    e-mail  www-admin@kobelco.co.jp
Gary Tsuchida     03-3218-6055      URL   http://www.kobelco.co.jp

Nissho Iwai Corp. 03-3588-4016
Itochu	 Corp.    03-3479-7293

           To Home
                  To The Previous Page