128 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1985 
 
National Nonferrous Industries Corp. discussed a 10% participation in the
expansion with Alusuisse and the Icelandic Government. 
 India.—.The new aluminum complex owned by National Aluminium Co.
Ltd.
(NALCO), a Government-owned company in Tolcher, Orissa, was expected to be
commissioned in September 1986 with the startup of one of two 109,000-ton-per-year
potlines. Reportedly, Hindustan Aluminium Co. Ltd., jointly owned by Kaiser
and private interests, implemented a program to increase the annual capacity
of the Renukoot, Uttar Pradesh, smelter from 120,000 to 150,000 tons per
year. 
Italy.—The Italian state-owned Ente Participazione Finanziamento
Industria
Manifattura (EFIM) postponed the closing of the 35,000-ton-per-year Bolzano
smelter. New plans announced the closing of the 30,000-ton-per-year Porto
Marghera smelter between 1987 and 1989. 
Japan.—The Ministry of International Trade and industry (MITI)
agreed
to reduce tariffs on aluminum plate, sheet, and strip from 11.5% ad valorem
to 9.2% early in 1986, and further reduce the 9.3% tariff on these mill products
to 3% and the 9% tariff on aluminum ingot to 1% effective January 1, 1988,
with intermediate reductions April 
1, 1987. 
Showa Light Metal Co. Ltd., jointly owned by Showa Denko K.K. (50%) and Comalco
of Australia (50%), announced the closing of its 59,000-ton-per-year Chiba
smelter effecfive in May 1986. 
Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. purchased Alcoa's 13% share of the Furukawa Aluminium
Co. Ltd., and aluminum semimanufacturing company. The purchase terminated
Alcoa's minority joint interest in the manufacturing company from Alcoa's
33% interest 5 years ago, and increased Furukawa Electric's interest to 94%.
The remaining shares of the Japan-based company are owned by the trading
house C. Itoh & Co. Ltd. 
Korea, North.—Reportedly, North Korea will operate an aluminum
smelter
at Pyong Kouk. Construction apparently started in 1984 with economic and
technological assistance obtained from the U.S.S.R. A completion date was
not available. 
Korea, Republic of.—Pechiney, France, reportedly discussed sale
of
its 50% equity in Aluminium of Korea Ltd. (Koralu) to its partner Hyundai
Industries, which would give Hyundai complete ownership. Koralu 
operates a 20,000-ton-per-year smelter at Ulson. 
 Mando Machinery Corp., Anyong, the Republic of Korea, and Ford Motor Co.,
Detroit, MI, reached an agreement to form a joint venture company to produce
about 450,000 metal aluminum radiators for South Korean automakers. Mando
was the leading manufacturer of automotive parts in the Republic of Korea.

 Mexico.—Alcan Aluminium sold its 49% interest in Alcan Mexicana
S.A.
de C.V. to Aluminio S.A. de C.V., in which Alcoa holds a 44% interest. Alcan
Mexicana was a holding company with three operating subsidiaries involved
in aluminum semifabrication, building products and truck bodies, and marketing
and fabrication. 
 Netherlands.—Hunter Douglas Ltd. Europe began installing an integrated
cold mill strip annealing facility for heat-treated aluminum alloys in its
Rotterdam plant. The new installation was not expected to increase the annual
capacity but should modernize the plant and increase efficiency. The plant
modernization would be completed by mid-1986. 
 New Zealand.—Comalco and the New Zealand Government reached an
agreement
for a new electric-power-pricing formula, based on the Pechiney Independent
Price, to calculate power charges at the 244,000ton-per-year Tiwai Point
aluminum smelter. The new formula replaced Comalco's use of the Alcan World
Price, which was discontinued in 1984. The future of the Tiwai Point smelter
was in doubt after the Government increased electricity prices to the smelter
by 25% on April 1. The smelter is jointly owned by Comalco (60%), Sumitomo
Aluminium (20%), and Showa Light Metal (20%). Late in the year, the smelter
was operating at about 12,000 tons below annual capacity owing to a pot attrition
policy. 
 Norway.—Ardal og Sunndal Verk A/S (ASV Group), owned by the Government
of Norway, planned to increase annual capacity at the Ardal plant from 187,000
to about 230,000 tons through modernization programs. Modernization of an
old 22,000-tonper-year potline, shut down in May, should increase the line
to 44,000 tons per year. Improvements in the remaining sections of the plant
were expected to raise the annual capacity to 220,000 tons. Using the company's
own technology, modernization began on five pots with completion expected
by late 1985. 
 Annual capacity of the Sor-Norge Alu