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Industrial Landscape
OF SOUTHERN ODISHA
Utkal Alumina Ltd.
This is an Industry based around the area of Tikiri, in the Rayagada district.
Industry
Utkal Alumina International Limited (UAIL), is a leading alumina refinery, that operates from Kucheipadar, Tikiri in the Rayagada district of Odisha.
Utkal was originally conceptualized in 1992-93 to set up an alumina refinery with captive bauxite mines by four reputed corporate groups – Alcan, INDAL, Tata, and Norsk Hydro Aluminium of Norway. Utkal is a world-class refinery with state-of-the-art technology from the world’s acclaimed technology supplier, Rio-Tinto-Alcan. Utkal has the best quality bauxite as its input and an environment-friendly logistics network for bauxite, other raw materials, and product alumina through conveyors and railway networks. The primary function of this plant is to extract aluminum in its most authentic form.
One of the major environmental issues for the alumina industry is the disposal of massive amounts of bauxite residue; in fact, the production of one ton of alumina leads to the generation of one to two tons of red mud, depending on the bauxite characteristics and on the processing parameters.
Red mud has very complex compositions but contains a variety of rare and valuable metals. In addition, its high alkalinity is severe pollution to water, land, air, and the environment, which has been one of the main factors affecting the sustainable development of the aluminum industry.
The main air pollution control measures taken at the Baphlimali bauxite mines of M/S Utkal alumina International Ltd are by installing an in-built vacuum cyclone dust collector, a dry fog system, and by periodic maintenance of diesel machines in order to decrease emission levels. Similarly, to check water pollution, check dams and sewage treatment plants are installed.