1

Indian Aluminium Company, Limited

Indian Aluminium Company, Limited (Indal), an Aditya Birla Group

Company, has been a part of India's aluminium industry for over six
decades. Incorporated in 1938, Indal is vertically integrated through
all stages of the aluminum business - from bauxite mining, alumina
refining, power generation, aluminium smelting, to semi fabricated
products of sheet, foil and extrusions as well as aluminium scrap
recycling.

Indal's nation-wide spread of plants, mines and offices gives it the

advantage of being in proximity to various regional markets within and
outside the country. The Company enjoys a leading market position in
India for specialty alumina chemicals and value-added products of
aluminium sheet, foil and extrusions.

A member of the Aditya Birla Group, Indal is a wholly owned

subsidiary of Hindalco Industries. Indal's strengths in alumina and
downstream products complement with Hindalco's dominance in metal
and its competitive cost structure, making the Indal-Hindalco
combination a major force in the aluminium industry.

A market leader in speciality aluminas and alumina hydrates in India,

Indal's product range of alumina and aluminium semifabs reaches
more than 30 countries

.
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Land use for Alumina Refinery Plant

S.N Land Required for Area in Remarks
ha

1 Main Plan (including storage & green 291.65

belt)

2 Red Mud 232.32

3 Ash Pond 104.56

4 Railway Line 169.74

5 Township & miscellaneous 123.85

Total 922.12

Raw Materials Specification

 Bauxite
• Alumina : 41 % ; SiO2 : 2.11 %
 Fresh caustic
• Na2O : 581 gpl
 Furnace Oil
• Net Calorific Value :
• Sp. Gravity :
 Steam
• HP :Temp: 210C ; Pressure : 10 kg/cm2
• LP : Temp: 190 oC ; Pressure : 6 kg/cm2
 Lime
• CaO : 60 %
 Synthetic Flocculants
 3

Raw Materials & Specific Consumptions

Raw Material Unit Consumptions

Bauxite (dry) t/t 2.61

Caustic soda as Kg/t 70.0

NaOH
Fuel oil Lit/t 80.0

Lime Kg/t 44.0

Steam T/t 2.1

Electrical energyKwh/t 275

Major process units

 Bauxite crushing & Grinding

 Predesillication.
 Evaporation
 Digestion & Heat Recuperation System
 Settling.
 Counter current Mud Washing & Mud Disposal
 Security Filtration
 Heat Interchange
 Precipitation
 Hydrate Classification
 Hydrate Seed thickening
 Fine seed wash
 Product Filtration , Hydrate washing & Storage
 Gas Suspension Calcination
 Alumina Handling

Minor units
 Lime Slaking
 Flocculant Preparation
 Mud Causticization
 Oxalate Destruction

Water requirement
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S.N Particulars Fresh water req for

1.0 MTPA (m3/day)
1 Process Water 6000

2 Refinery cooling tower make-up water 3500

3 Dust suppression (plant,mines,RMP) 4000

4 Domestic water 6500

Total 20000

Power requirement – 275KWH/PTA

Water requirement - 3.5 M3/PTA
Steam requirement –2.1 ton/PTA

ALUMINA EXTRACTION
Bayer process

•The principal ore for the production of Alumina is bauxite (named

after village Baux in France where it was first found)
•The age old process for the production of Alumina is the Bayer
process.
•The process involves the digestion of Alumina from bauxite at high
temperature in digestion liquor and then precipitation of the dissolved
Alumina from the pregnant liquor at low temperature

Al2O3.3H2O + Na2O ---> Na2O.Al2O3 + 3H2O

Al2O3.H2O + Na2O ---> Na2O.Al2O3 + H2O

Na2O.Al2O3 + 3H2O ---> Al2O3.3H2O + Na2O

 5

The process, discovered by Karl Bayer in 1888, consists of four stages .

(1) Digestion

Here the finely ground bauxite is

pumpedinto a very large pressure
vessel called a digester. Here it is
mixed with a hot solution of
caustic soda and steam at a
temperature in excess of 250 C.
The alumina in the bauxite react
with the caustic soda forming a
sodium aluminate solution.
2) Clarification

The alumina-bearing solution is

separated from the insoluble
impurities that were part of the
original bauxite.
3) Precipitation

The alumina is precipitated or

crystallised from the solution as
crystals of alumina trihydrate. The
solution is mixed in tall vessels
with recycled seed crystals. When
completed the solid alumina
hydrate is passed on to the next
stage and the remaining liquor,
which contains caustic soda and
some alumina, goes back to the
digesters.
4) Calcination –

In the final stage the alumina

trihydrate is washed to remove
any remaining caustic . It is
heated to about 1050C in special
calciners or kilns to drive off the
water of crystallisation, leaving
the alumina, which is a dry, white,
sandy material
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Alumina Refining

The aluminum industry relies on the Bayer process to produce

alumina from bauxite. It remains the most economic means of
obtaining alumina, which in turn is vital for the production of aluminum
metal - two to three tonnes of alumina are required to produce one
tonne of aluminum.
Bauxite is washed, ground and dissolved in caustic soda (sodium
hydroxide) at high/medium pressure and temperature. The resulting
liquor contains a solution of sodium aluminate and undissolved bauxite
residues containing iron, silicon, and titanium. These residues,
colloquially known as “red mud”, sink gradually to the bottom of the
tank and are removed
The clear sodium aluminate solution is pumped into a huge tank
called a precipitator. Fine particles of alumina are added to seed the
precipitation of pure alumina particles as the liquor cools. The
particles sink to the bottom of the tank, are removed, and are then
passed through a rotary or fluidized calciner at 1100°C to drive off the
chemically combined water. The result is a white powder, pure
alumina. The caustic soda is returned to the start of the process and
used again.
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Aluminium Smelting
The basis for all modern primary aluminium smelting plants is the Hall-
Héroult Process, invented in 1886. Alumina is dissolved in an electrolytic
bath of molten cryolite (sodium aluminium fluoride) within a large
carbon or graphite lined steel container known as a "pot". An electric
current is passed through the electrolyte at low voltage, but very high
current, typically 150,000 amperes. The electric current flows between
a carbon anode (positive), made of petroleum coke and pitch, and a
cathode (negative), formed by the thick carbon or graphite lining of
the pot.

Molten aluminium is deposited at the bottom of the pot and is

siphoned off periodically, taken to a holding furnace, often but not
always blended to an alloy specification, cleaned and then generally
cast.

Aluminium Processing
Aluminium can be alloyed with other materials to make an array of
metals with different properties. The main alloying ingredients are
iron, silicon, zinc, copper and magnesium. Other materials are also
used.

Aluminium can be rolled into plate, sheets, or wafer thin foils the
thickness of a human hair. The rolling process changes the
characteristics of the metal, making it less brittle and more ductile.

Aluminium can be cast into an infinite variety of shapes. The statue of

Eros in London's Piccadilly Circus erected in 1893 is cast aluminium.

Aluminium can be extruded by heating it to around 500ºC and pushing

it through a die at great pressure to form intricate shapes and
sections.

Aluminium can be forged by hammering to make stress-bearing parts

for aircraft and internal combustion engines.

Aluminium can be joined by welding, adhesive bonding, riveting or

screwing. It can be formed by bending or superplastic moulding. It can
be milled or turned on a lathe.
 8

ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN

The industrial development in the study area needs to be intertwined
with judicious utilization of non-renewable resources of the study area
and within the limits of permissible assimilative capacity. The
assimilative capacity of the study area is the maximum amount of
pollution load that can be discharged in the environment without
affecting the designated use and is governed by dilution, dispersion,
and removal due to physico-chemical and biological processes. The
Environment Management Plan (EMP) is required to ensure sustainable
development in the study area (10-km) of the proposed industry.
Government, Regulating agencies like Pollution Control Board working
in the region and more importantly the affected population of the
study area need to extend their co-operation and contribution.

It has been evaluated that the study area has not been affected
adversely with present industrialization and likely to get new
economical flip, not only for the study area but also for the region as a
whole. Management Plan at the study area level is elicited so as to
improve the supportive capacity of the study area and also to preserve
the assimilative capacity of the receiving bodies.

The Management Action Plan aims at controlling pollution at the source

level to the possible extent with the available and affordable
technology followed by treatment measures before they are
discharged.

The Environmental Management Plan also lists out all these strategies
not only for the operational phase of the plant but also for the
construction phase. The EMP is prepared keeping in view all possible
strategies oriented towards waste minimization, waste treatment,
waste disposal and residual attenuation for the proposed industry in a
chronological sequence.

Alumina refinery is divided into two phases viz., construction and

operation. The construction phase of EMP lists out the control
strategies to be adopted during the construction of the expanded plant
and the operational phase details out the control/abatement measures
to be adopted during the operational phase of the expanded plant.The
following additional mitigation measures are recommended in order to
synchronize the economic development of the study area with the
environmental protection of the region.
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Summary of Anticipated Environmental Impacts and Their Mitigation

ANTICIPATED ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION

Constructional Potential Probable Mitigative

Phase Negative Source Measures
Impacts

Water Quality Increase in Soil Erosion Temporary

suspended solids sedimentation Tank
due to soil run-off
during heavy
precipitation
Air Quality Increase in dust Heavy Regular sprinkling
and NOx vehicular of water in the
concentration movement construction area.

Noise Increase in noise Construction Equipment is kept

level equipment in good condition
to keep the noise
level within 85 dB
(A)

Terrestrial Clearing of During Plantation is done

Ecology Vegetation construction during the start of
the project

Aquatic Ecology Impact on surface Wastewater is

and ground water treated in STP
resources
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ANTICIPATED ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND

MITIGATION

Operation Potential Probable Mitigative Remarks

Impact Negative Source Measures
Impacts
Air Quality Increase in Alumina One Maximum
SO2, NOx Plant and additional incremental
and SPM Co- 120 m high short term
level in generation stack for ground level
ambient air plant calciner and concentration
one more (GLC) of NOx
145 m high and SO2 due
stack for to operation
CPP is of ESP is
provided to within the
ensure wider permissible
dispersal of limits
pollutants.
ESP will also
be provided
Increase in Alumina Boilers have --
Nox Plant and in-built
concentration Co- design for
generation low NOx
plant emission
Increase in Vehicular All --
SPM in traffic motorable
ambient air roads in the
plant area is
paved to
reduce dust
emission
Increase in Coal & Lime Dry fog --
SPM in handling system and
ambient air area bag filters
are provided
and water is
sprinkled
regularly
near dust
generating
 11

Operation Potential Probable Mitigative Remarks

Impact Negative Source Measures
Impacts
areas
Water Deterioration Discharge Wastewater --
Quality of water from plant is
quality of rejects, completely
surface water filter recycled for
backwash, various uses
service in the plant
water waste and no
and discharge of
effluents wastewater
outside the
premises is
envisaged
Noise Increase in Equipment Equipment is --
noise levels in main designed to
in the plant plant and conform to
area auxiliaries noise levels
prescribed
by
regulatory
agencies.

Provision of
green belt
and
plantation
would
further help
in
attenuating
noise
Terrestrial Impact on Emissions Emission will As emissions
Ecology plant species from stacks be controlled will be within
as well as limits, no
dispersed active injury
through to the
appropriate vegetation is
design expected
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Operation Potential Probable Mitigative Remarks

Impact Negative Source Measures
Impacts
Aquatic Impact on Wastewater, Wastewater As there is
Ecology aquatic if any, from will be no discharge,
species Alumina completely no impact on
plant, heat recycled for aquatic
exchanger, various uses environment
cooling in the plant is envisaged
tower, and no
laboratory, discharge of
power plant wastewater
etc. outside the
premises is
envisaged
Demography Strain on Influx of Existing --
and Socio- existing expanded township will
Economics amenities people of be utilized
like housing, plant
water employees
sources and as well as
sanitation, contractor’s
medical and employees/
infrastructure Laborers
facilities
Land Impact on Disposal of High --
environment land solid waste concentrated
environment Land slurry
Depletion of acquisition disposal
cultivable for red mud method will
area, forest pond, be followed
area, if any township for Red mud
and ash. No
forest area
is proposed
to be
acquired
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Management During Construction Phase

The impacts during the construction phase on the environment would

be basically of transient nature and are expected to reduce gradually
on completion of the construction activities.

In order to mitigate them, the following measures are proposed.

Designation and demarcation of sites for construction camps and

ensuring due provision of necessary infrastructure services;

During excavation and transportation over unmetalled roads near the

proposed plant site, there is a scope for local dust emissions. Frequent
water sprinkling in the vicinity of the construction activity should be
done and it should be continued even after the completion of the plant
construction, as
• There is heavy truck mobility. The industry should make
provision for water sprinklers;

• Since there is likelihood of fugitive dust from the construction

activity, material handling and from the truck movement in the
premises of the proposed plant the industry should go for
extensive tree plantation program along the boundaries of the
proposed plant site;

• The construction site should be provided with sufficient and

suitable toilet facilities for workers to allow proper standards of
hygiene. These facilities would be connected to a septic tank and
maintained to ensure minimum environmental impact.

• Though the noise effect on the nearest inhabitants due to

construction activity will be negligible, it is advisable that on site
workers using high noise equipment adopt noise protection
devices;
• Noise prone activities should be restricted to the extent possible
during night particularly during the period 10 pm to 6 am in
order to have minimum environmental impact;

• It should be ensured that both gasoline and diesel powered

construction vehicles are properly maintained to minimize smoke
in the exhaust emissions. The vehicle maintenance area should
be located in such a manner to prevent contamination of surface
and ground water sources by accidental spillages of oil.
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Unauthorized dumping of waste oil should be prohibited;

• As soon as construction is over the surplus earth should be

utilized to fill up low lying areas, the rubbish should be cleared
and all un-built surfaces reinstated. Appropriate vegetation
should be planned and all such areas should be landscaped.
Hazardous materials (e.g. acids, paints, and explosives) should
be stored in proper and designated areas; and

• To prevent unauthorized felling of trees by construction workers

for their fuel needs, it should be ensured that the contractor
provides fuel to the construction workers.

Management during the Operation Phase

Air Quality Management

The gaseous pollutants are generated from the steam generation and
calciner plant. Besides these gaseous emissions, there will be few
sources of dust emissions like lime dust, coal dust and bauxite
particulates.

The main sources of air pollution in the proposed refinery plant will be
CPP, calciners and dust emissions from bauxite, alumina, lime and fly
ash handling.

The following methods should be adopted to mitigate the air pollution

due to the proposed expanded alumina refinery.

In the alumina refinery, burning pulverized coal will generate high-

pressure steam. Electro Static Precipitator (ESP) should be provided to
arrest particulate matter. The other major pollutant viz. Sulphur
dioxide will be vented along with flue gas through the adequate tall
stacks. The stack heights will be such that the dispersion of both
particulate matter and Sulphur dioxide will be within the permissible
limits of concentration at ground level.

The flue gas emanating from calciner unit will be passed through
electrostatic precipitator to restrict the solid content in the gas.

Calciner units (one new unit) and boiler (one new unit) will be
provided with stacks of 120-m and 145 m height respectively. These
stacks will sufficiently disperse the pollutants into the atmosphere as is
 15

evident from the mathematical modeling done in Chapter-4. The

emission of SPM from the boiler stack will be maintained below 100
mg/Nm3. Similarly, the emission levels for Particulate Matter from the
calcination unit will be maintained as per norms.

Apart from the above, the possible sources of dust emission will be the
units handling bauxite, lime, coal, fly ash and alumina. Wherever,
solids handling is involved, bag filters and other dust extraction
equipment like cyclone separators, dry fog system, electrostatic
precipitator etc will be provided.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT/MEASURES

Sr. Process Area Control Measures

No.

1 Boilers Electro Static Precipitators

(Esp’s)

2 Calciners Electro Static Precipitators

(Esp’s)

3 Cooling Towers Flow rate and maintenance

scheduling

4 Digesters Process flow and pressure

control system

5 Evaporation Process flow and pressure

control system

6 Exposed areas; Residue High concentrated slurry

disposal area, Stock piles, disposal, surface treatment
refinery area with water spinklers
7 Bauxite: conveyer Dry fog system
transfer
8 Fuel Storage Maintenance and Isolation

9 Wheel generated dust Concreting of roads and water

sprinkling.
 16

WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT

There will be four types of wastewater steams from the proposed

alumina refinery plant, viz.:

1] Cooling Tower Blowdown;

2] D M Plant Regeneration;
3] Filter Back wash; and
4] Domestic usage.

All these wastes will be recycled back to the process for various usages
such as dust suppression, greenbelt development.

Local neutralization pits will be provided near the acidic wastewater

generation points to
neutralize the effluent prior to discharge to the reaction tank. From
there, the waste will
be clarified

Storm water Management

The refinery’s water management system has been designed to

minimize the potential for storm water contamination occurring at the
site. This has been achieved by incorporating the following features
into the storm water management system:

• Runoff from upstream areas will be diverted around the refinery

site, unless captured for water supply purposes;
• The quantity of contaminated runoff generated will be minimised by
diverting runoff from areas external to the refinery to storm water
discharge points;

• Caustic liquor and hazardous material storage areas will be

bounded, with runoff from these areas discharged via the dirty
drain system, unless verified as clean;

• Runoff from area external to process areas of the plant will be

contained within a storage system; and

• Rainfall in bayer process areas will be contained within perimeter

bunds, and recirculated into the process water circuit either directly
 17

from collection sumps or via the dirty pond (in extreme rainfall
events).

The refinery has been segregated into the following areas for the
management of storm water:
• Bayer process areas;
• Non bayer process areas and non process areas;
• Hazardous material storage areas; and
• Areas external to the refinery.

A detailed description of the storm water management for each area is

provided below.

Bayer Process Drainage

Rain falling within the Bayer process areas will be collected within
bunded slabs and will be returned to the process, as it will contain
process liquor. Hence, rain, which falls directly into open process
tanks and onto the slabs, is automatically contributing to dilution of
the process. Such dilution can be offset through increasing the
evaporation and/or reducing the quantity of wash water added to the
process. In the event of predicted major storm or cyclonic activity, the
circuit inventory will be reduced to accommodate expected rain entry.
The plant bunds and tankage will be capable of receiving and
containing runoff from short duration storm events such as local
tropical storms. Water inventory will then be progressively reduced to
consume the retained runoff. However, immediately following a
significant storm, emergency storage and process bunded areas may
be filled with rainwater.

The areas immediately surrounding the Bayer process areas, such as

roads and open ground, will drain to a “dirty water pond” drainage
system. This system will be designed to collect any rainfall within
these areas, in addition to any releases (i.e. uncontrolled release or
planned pumping from the bunded areas to the dirty water drains)
from the bunded Bayer process areas.

The dirty water drains will flow to a dirty water containment pond
located on the northern portion of the site. From the containment
pond water will be returned to the residue washing process or other
process areas.
 18

Non Bayer Process and Non Process Drainage

Rainwater run-of from the non-Bayer areas is highly unlikely to be

contaminated. These areas drain to three areas.

• Via sedimentation ponds to the external environment

• Via storm water drains to the dirty water pond (with overflow to the
clean water pond)
• To the clean water pond.

The sediment load within the refinery drainage system is not expected
to be significant. If required, periodic cleaning of the drains and the
sedimentation ponds and storage dam will be undertaken to maintain
the hydraulic capacity of the system. Any removed sediment will be
disposed of in the residue storage area.

Emergency overflow and storm water from ground adjacent to, but
external to, the following areas will report to the dirty water pond;
Grinding, Predesilication, Digestion, alkaline cooling tower, Settlers
and Washers, Security filtration, Evaporation, Precipitation, Hydrate
Classification and Seed filtration, Hydrate Seed Thickeners, Cooling
tower, Caustic and Fuel Oil Storage, Product wash and Calcination and
Milk of Lime. These areas handle caustic solutions.

Run off from the following areas is sent to the external waterways,
after suitable sedimentation traps; Bauxite Stockpile, General offices
and workshops, Rail line in the vicinity of Alumina Loading, green belts
adjacent to the above areas. None of these areas handle caustic.

Runoff from the following areas report to the clean water pond; Power
plant and coal handling, Raw water Storage and adjacent green belts.
The dirty water storage dam is traditionally of sufficient capacity to
contain the ‘first flush’ (first 20 mm of rainfall) flow from the
catchment. It is decided to build a water pond of 94,000m3 capacity,
sufficient to hold the storm water from approximately 300mm of rain
fall. The water from the dam will be returned to the residue washing
process. Water will automatically be diverted to the clean water pond
in the event that the dirty pond is filled and water is not able to be
returned to the process prior to additional run off occurring (for
operational or timing reasons). Runoff in excess of the “first flush” will
be relatively clean as the majority of the sediment load will already
have been removed.
 19

The over flow of the clean water pond / system as a whole will only
occur in extreme rainfall events. In such circumstances two features
ensure that no detectable environmental damage will result.

• The dirty drains system will capture water from the first 300mm of
rainfall during which time any contamination will be flushed to the
pond. Hence, overflow from this system to the clean water system
will be water from a well-flushed system and hence very low in a
contaminants.

• Over flow of the clean water system will only occur after/ during
extreme rainfall events and will hence be very low in contaminants.
This overflow will enter a natural system which is also undergoing
the effects of an extreme rainfall event.

Hazardous Materials Storage Drainage

All chemical and oil storage areas will be bunded in accordance with
the relevant standards. The water collected within the bunds will be
inspected prior to release. If no spills or leaks are evident then the
area will be drained to the dirty water drainage system. Oil storage
areas will be drained through separation equipment to remove free oil.

Run off from Red Mud Pond

Further, the run-off from the red mud pond will be collected and stored
in a holding pond, which shall be located near the toe of the mud
storage area. The stored run-off shall be used for sprinkling during dry
season. Further, to divert rainwater from outside the mud storage
area, suitable garland drain shall be provided. Capacity of red mud
storage area will be suitably designed to take care of heavy continuous
rainfall. The water balance for the red mud pond will be available only
during the detailed engineering stage. Further, adequate number of
leach pits shall be bored in the red mud disposal area to monitor the
ground water quality under post project monitoring scheme.

Further, industry should also plan for dry disposal of red mud as
stipulated under CREP guidelines in a time bound manner.
 20

Sanitary Waste Treatment Plant

The biological treatment section treats the sanitary waste from

alumina/power plant. It will be routed to the sanitary sewage sump.
Then it will be pumped to the compact unit comprising digestion
chamber, stabilization chamber, clarifier, activated sludge process with
facilities like aeration, post chlorination, sludge removal, recirculation
and scum removal. The treated effluent after chlorination is collected
in the treated effluent sump. The bio-sludge generated is dried in
sludge drying beds before final disposal.

Besides the above a good house keeping will be practiced in the plant
so that waste water generation is minimized. The entire process water
will be reused.
Solid Waste Management
The solid waste generated will be red mud from the process, fly ash
from boiler and sludge from ETP. The 1.0 MTPA alumina refinery
generate approximately 1.28 MTPA of red mud, which is required to be
disposed off. Similarly, after expansion the red mud generation will be
3.75 MTPA. High Concentration Slurry Disposal (HCSD) or dry stacking
technology shall be used for disposal of red mud in the proposed red
mud pond of 232.32-ha area located at about 1.3 km in the Southern
side.
Red Mud
There is no technically and economically viable and feasible solution
available so far the utilization of red mud. Worldwide, research is
going on for finding application of red mud for miscellaneous uses.
Some of these are listed below Red mud can replace a part of clay in
brick manufacture. Ceramic products are also an
proposition for red mud, since it contains most of the required
ingredients.Attempts are being made to use red mud as a landfill
material as it is or after treatment in many countries. It is being
treated as a material to be used for land reclamation from marshy
lands or abandoned mines.Use of red mud in making paints (because
of iron oxide and titanium dioxide in it), as an adsorbent and catalyst
are some of the fields where extensive researches are in progress.It is
estimated that about approximately 3.75 MTPA red mud will be
generated from the expanded Aluminum refinery, which will be
pumped to the red mud pond by the high concentrated slurry disposal
system. In order to arrest leaching from the ponds to ground to the
maximum extent, red mud pond will be suitably lined with clay or PVC.