Aluminium - Enriching A Billion Lives

From simple paper clips to complex pieces used in advanced technology, aluminium extrusions are created in various shapes and sizes for value added end use utilizations. The computer you are using right now contains at least one aluminium profile in the form of a heat sink. This takes advantage of aluminium’s excellent thermal conductivity, unique anodising capability and freedom of design to keep your computer’s processor cool. Different cross sections of extrusions Extrusion is a process used to create objects of a fixed cross-sectional profile. A special tool called a ‘die’ is used to create these extrusions by cutting or shaping the material with the help of a press. These dies are customized to create the wanted design. The process involves the pressing of a pre-heated solid cylinder of aluminium (billet) which is forced through the die opening. The billets are heated to a temperature range of 350 – 500 degrees Celsius. Aluminium does not glow when heated ye...

Alumina production employs the Bayer’s process which leaves behind a residue known as Red Mud. If the alumina extraction is done through any other process then the residue left behind is known as White Mud or Bellite. Over 95% of the alumina manufactured globally is derived from bauxite by the Bayer process. For more on the Bayer’s Process:  http://redmud.org/red-mud/production/ Red mud near Stade (Germany) Over 90% of the alumina produced in the world is used to manufacture aluminium metal. This is termed as metallurgical or smelter grade alumina (SGA). The rest is termed non-metallurgical grade alumina (NMGA). Red mud is composed of a mixture of metallic  oxides. The bauxite filtrate primarily consists of iron oxides, silicon oxide, titanium oxide and un-dissolved alumina together with a wide range of other oxides. This depends upon the place of extracted bauxite. The iron oxides, which comprise up to 60% of the mass of the sludge impart the red colour. ...

* Edit on 18th August, 2016 The road from Banjari village to Sarbhal Here are some quick facts about the 'Green Road' that you need to know:  With earthen shoulder, the width of the road spans across 6 meters.  For the building a normal road of the said dimension and requirement, an estimated cost of about 1.22 crores would have to be incurred.  However, to construct a green road, the cost of sand filling and Water Bound Macadam (WBM) gets eliminated resulting in the savings of around 44 lakhs.  This offers a huge value proposition to the communities who commute regularly on the route and to the company as well. The advantages of using such a road are many.  It helps in soil stabilization and increases the load bearing capacity of the road.  It also saves top soil which is traditionally used otherwise.  It has a better result over time when subjected to varying weather conditions. * Original article Fly ash is a ...

#MakeInIndia  Hello there! You’ve surely heard about the import subtitle billets in our previous post. Right? Yes! I was pretty impressed with the kind of work that Vedanta is carrying out for customer value addition.   Well, you’ll be even more impressed when you hear about us making alloy ingots for the automobile industry. Automobiles. Wow! I would like to know more. But wait! First tell me what an ingot is. An ingot  is a piece of relatively pure material, usually  metal , that is  cast  into a shape suitable for further processing. In our case, it is basically a slab of aluminium which is made after solidification of the final molten metal during production. Aluminium ingots manufactured by Vedanta Nice! Continue… In India, the automobile industry is one of the biggest manufacturing sectors producing around 23 million units per annum with a gross turnover of $60 billion. The total consumption of aluminium...

Dongaria Kondh tribals are native to Kalahandi and Rayagada districts of Odisha. These are same districts which have been used as a symbol of backwardness by popular media since a long time. The ground realities too corroborate the narrative of poverty and helplessness which the people in the region have been suffering. While the country has been making steadfast progress in various fields, time seems to pass slowly for the people in these regions. The cry for development covers a gamut of areas - infrastructure, agriculture, industry establishment for job creation, schools and hospitals. On August 3, 2106, tribals and natives from the hinterland and villages gathered near the Governor House in the state Capital on the common ground of development for the people and the region. They were represented by the Kalahandi – Rayagada Development Forum which stressed on taking concrete steps to empower the poor tribals. According to Mr. Ajaya Mishra, the president of ...

It was the usual day for Sukanti when she came to know about the illness of her husband, the sole breadwinner of her family. The landless tribal woman of Banjari Village was clueless on how to lead her family. “My husband was working on daily basis in fields. However his health was deteriorating gradually and one day he became bed ridden” recounts Sukanti.  This story is not only about Sukanti. The plight of a family when the main earning member is unable to do so is worth spending some time over. Millions of questions arise. Why is it happening to me? What now? Who will support my children? These are simple questions but the power to face them requires immense courage. However, all hope was not lost for Sukanti. She was one of the women who  bravely   took things in her stride and provided with right opportunities, could do much more than just be a mere victim.  Subhalaxmi Cooperative promoted by Vedanta Limited came as a ray of ho...

‘Voices on ground’ brings together the changing outlook and demand of the villagers and tribals in Lanjigarh. For far too long, they had taken up a stance against industries propagated by the vested interest brigade. But now in Lanjigarh, where Vedanta’s Alumina Refinery is located, demonizing industrialization is no longer the dominant narrative. The demand for the right to live healthy and prosperous lives is starting to gain traction amongst the native people. For the first time, the demand for development has transcended the local villagers and percolated in tribal areas. They want their right to development and a better quality of life. They have come around the fact that industrialization is necessary for job creation and poverty alleviation. It is not by fighting against industrialization that this can be achieved but by partnering with the local industries and pushing for development. Health, education, roads and electricity are a priority in these times. It is the re...

In 2006, Asian Institute of Sustainable Development (AISD) conducted a Baseline Study in which it made startling discoveries about the health condition in the Kalahandi district. As per the study findings: Only 13% people had privilege to basic medical treatment. IMR rate was 200 per thousand birth. Child malnutrition and immunization were 58% and 35% respectively. Malarial death was 80%. If you ever Google the phrase ‘Kalahandi Syndrome’, you’ll come across a morbid picture of humanity. Kalahandi is often referred to as emblem of backwardness in prevalent media. The region is infamous for its recurring droughts and starvation deaths. The misery that stalks the people is known to everyone yet nothing much on the ground took off since independence. However with industrialization, the scope for development has opened up in the district. These findings facilitated Vedanta, which has its alumina refinery in Lanjigarh, to design innovative health care projects. Vedanta star...