Hindalco suspends operation at copper smelter in Dahej

Mumbai, Nov 24 (UNI) Hindalco Industries, a Aditya Birla Group company, has temporarily suspended operations at one of its three copper smelters at Dahej in Gujarat due to a shortage of copper concentrate.

Informing the BSE today, the company explained the reasons for suspension of operations at copper smelter. ''Of late, due to disruption of production in some copper mines, the availability of concentrate in international markets has become scarce.'' ''Keeping in view the business realities and the overall economics, the company has decided to temporarily suspend operations in one of the three smelters,'' it said.

The annual capacity of the smelter is 70,000 tonnes, while the total capacity of three smelters at Dahej is 500,000 tonnes annually. It also said that the scarcity of concentrate meant the treatment and refining charges were ''not remunerative'' for the moment.

''When the treatment and refining charges improve, then it will start again,'' a senior company official said.

UNI SN KU SKB2005