Refinery rules out €26m mud-neutralisation plan

THE largest alumina refinery in Europe, RUSAL Aughinish on the Shannon estuary has ruled out a €26 million plan to neutralise its red mud through the injection of CO2 — because the climate is not warm enough.

Later this month, the $1.2 billion (€840m) refinery is due to commission a 195-acre development that will have the capacity to hold more than 17 million tonnes of bauxite residue, largely made up of “red mud”.

The opening of the Bauxite Residue Disposal Area (BRDA) extension comes as the existing 236-acre BRDA is projected to reach the end of its life by next year where a total of 23.3 million tonnes will have been deposited.