China specifies standards for closure of outdated facilities
Shanghai. April 7. INTERFAX-CHINA - China's State Council released a document on April 6 detailing the standards for closing of outdated facilities in domestic industries including coke, steel alloy, steel and nonferrous metals in 2010 and 2011.
Before the end of 2010, all machinery ovens for coke production with a height of less than 4.3 meters will be closed, as will electric smelting furnaces for steel-alloy production with a capacity smaller than 6,300 KVA (Kilo Volt Amperes).
Before the end of 2011, the government will close all blast furnaces, used for making pig iron, which are less than 300 cubic meters in size, and any electrical furnaces and converters which are capable of producing less than 20 tons of crude steel per production cycle.
The use of electrical cells for primary aluminum smelting with a current of less than 100 kilowatt per hour (kWh) will be discontinued. In addition, lead production facilities that use sintering pans and sintering pots as well as lead production facilities without the capability to produce sulfuric acid will all also be closed before the end of 2011.
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is overseeing the policy, to be carried out in every province and region of China, while local governments and banks will closely work with the MIIT to see that the standards are adhered to.
-LCL