Project Reports
Non-Ferrous Metals Projects
The term non-ferrous is used to indicate metals other than iron and alloys that do not contain an appreciable amount of iron or rather non-ferrous metals are metals that do not contain iron. Non-ferrous metals which do not contain iron, for example are aluminium, brass, copper, magnesium, nickel, tin, Zinc and titanium. One can also get non-ferrous metals as alloys e.g. brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.
Nonferrous metals are specified for structural applications requiring reduced weight, higher strength, nonmagnetic properties, higher melting points, or resistance to chemical and atmospheric corrosion. They are also specified for electrical and electronic applications. Copper and its alloys -- the brasses and bronzes -- are available in rod, plate, strip, sheet, tube shapes, forgings, wire, and castings. Zinc, a crystalline metal with moderate strength and ductility, is seldom used alone except as a coating. In addition to its metal and alloy forms, zinc also extends the life of other materials such as steel (by hot dipping or electrogalvanizing), rubber and plastics (as an aging inhibitor), and wood (in paints). Zinc is also used to make brass, bronze, and die-casting alloys in plate, strip, and coil; foundry alloys; superplastic zinc; and activators and stabilizers for plastics.
India is considered to be the fifth largest producer of aluminium in the world. Aluminium is one of the few metals that extensively affect the ordinary life of human beings. India has huge deposits of natural resources in the form of minerals like copper, chromite, iron ore, manganese, bauxite and gold. The Indian aluminium industry falls under the category of non-iron-based, which includes the production of copper, tin, brass, lead, zinc, aluminium and manganese. Aluminium is one of the leading industries in the Indian economy. Its growth can be sustained by the diversification and exploration of new horizons for the industry. This metal is everywhere in the form of household utensils, electric fittings, foils for food packaging, etc.
The aluminium industry is engaged in activities like mining of ores, refining of the ore, casting, alloying, and sheets and rolling into foils. At present, Hindalco and Nalco are one of the most economical in the production of aluminium in the world. Aluminium accounts for around 5 per cent of the total deposits and produces about 0.8 million tone of aluminium in a year. The world wide alumina production competence is around 58 million tones, of which India has 2.7 million tonnes. Most of the bauxite mines lie in Bihar, Karnataka and Orissa.
In India, the production of aluminium is highly concentrated in the hands of the following four companies: Bharat Aluminium Co.Ltd (BALCO), National Aluminium Co.Ltd (NALCO), Hindustan Aluminium Co.Ltd.(HINDALCO), and Madras Aluminium Co.Ltd. MALCO).BALCO and NALCO represent the public sector; and HINDALCO and MALCO represent the private sector of the country.
Aluminium is used in various sectors such as transportation, packaging, building/construction and electricity. Globally, automotive, packaging and construction sectors are the major end users of aluminium, while in India the power sector consumes most followed by automotive and housing sectors. The sector wise consumption break -up as follows: electrical-64 per cent, transport-18 per cent, packaging-4 per cent, industrial machinery-3 per cent, consumer durables-3 per cent, and steel sweetening, power and chemicals -11 per cent.
With the growth in infrastructure, India will need huge amounts of metal. Investors and industrialist should come forward to increase production in the near future.