ALCAN REDUCES COST OF PLANNED SMELTER
Alcan Aluminium Ltd said it has cut the
expected cost of its planned Laterriere, Quebec, smelter by
using enhanced Grande Baie reduction technology.
    The company said the decision to use prebaked anode
technolgy used at its Grande Baie, Quebec, and Sebree, Ky.,
smelters was taken primarily for cost reasons.
    As a result, it said, the estimated total cost of the
planned smelter will be held to 450 mln U.S. dlrs, the low end
of the range estimated in mid-May, while the cost of the first
phase was cut to 150 mln dlrs from the projected 175-225 mln
dlrs.
 Reuter
