Baku, Azerbaijan, March 13
By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:
China and Iran have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to launch three projects in the Islamic Republic.
Under the MOU signed between the Islamic Republic's Mines, Mining Industries Development & Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) and China's state-owned Sinosteel Equipment & Engineering Co., the Chinese company will launch three projects - one for an alumina powder factory, another for an aluminium ingot factory, and one more for a power plant intended to provide the factories with electricity, Mehr news agency reported March 14.
The projects for aluminium factories are expected to be launched under the EPCF (engineering, procurement, construction and finance) contract, while the power plant project will be launched under the BOO (build, own, operate) contract.
Some 200,000 tons of alumina powder was produced in Iran from March 21, 2015 to Jan. 5, 2016.
Iran's annual need for alumina powder is about 750,000 tons.
Alumina can be used to make aluminium tubes for uranium enrichment gas centrifuges, as well as manufacturing missile parts.