Anglo American CEO: To Keep Copebras;Sees Strong Demand,Returns

LONDON -(Dow Jones)- Globally diversified mining company Anglo American PLC (AAL.LN) has decided not to sell its Copebras phosphates business in Brazil due to strong demand and high returns from the business, the company's chief executive said Friday. "We continue to look at the phosphates industry. Obviously there is a strong demand in the agriculture side," Cynthia Carroll told journalists in a call about its first half results. "We are seeing high returns and high demand for the near and medium term," from the business, she added. Copebras generated first half operating profit of $54 million, up more than four-fold on the previous period. Anglo American had previously considered selling the asset as part of its non-core disposal program which as so far generated $3.3 billion in cumulative proceeds. Anglo American also decided not to sell its Peace River Coal unit in Canada earlier this year for similar reasons and plans to expand the asset.

Anglo American wants to sell Copebrás again

Anglo American põe seus fertilizantes de volta no balcão
Procura-se desesperadamente o futuro da Anglo American Fosfatos, a antiga Copebrás. Nem mesmo Ruben Marcos Fernandes, presidente da divisão de fertilizantes da Anglo American no Brasil, se arrisca a fazer uma aposta. O próprio executivo foi pego no contrapé com a notícia que veio de Londres: os ingleses decidiram retomar o processo de venda da subsidiária.
O mandato, inclusive, já estaria nas mãos de um banco de investimentos norte-americano. Desta vez, a operação envolveria não apenas a unidade de fosfato, mas também a operação de nióbio, leiase a controlada Mineração Catalão. É mais um capítulo de uma novela cheia de zigue-zagues em exibição há mais de quatro anos. Em 2009, a Anglo American decidiu se desfazer da Copebrás, mas, depois de quase dois anos em busca de um comprador, não apenas desistiu do negócio como alardeou a promessa de pedalar o crescimento da controlada.
Ao que tudo indica, não passou de uma sublimação psicoempresarial. Há muito que a operação de fertilizantestornou-se um estorvo para os negócios da Anglo American no país, sorvendo recursos que deveriam ser destinados ao seu core business, ou seja, a produção de minério de ferro, níquel e cobre. Consultada, a Anglo American garante que continua "a avaliar o potencial de expansão" da divisão de fertilizantes.
É bom que se diga que a antiga Copebrás está longe de seus piores momentos. No primeiro trimestre do ano, as vendas cresceram 25% no comparativo com janeiro-março de 2012. O índice deverá se repetir no balanço do semestre.
Hoje, a taxa de ociosidade é de 10% da capacidade industrial, a menor dos últimos cinco anos. Na fabricante de fertilizantes, a expectativa é que este índice seja reduzido à metade até o fim do ano, não obstante a retração da demanda. Os ingleses já acreditam que o faturamento da controlada possa bater nos US$ 800 milhões em 2013, contra os US$ 700 milhões previstos inicialmente. Esses números, contudo, não parecem encorajar os ingleses a permanecer à frente do negócio. No momento, a recuperação é um estímulo à venda da empresa, passo que a Anglo American não conseguiu dar nos tempos de entressafra financeira da controlada. Mas é difícil não acreditar que haverá uma reviravolta (Relatório Reservado, 27/6/13)

Zuari Agro to invest Rs 4,400 cr in UAE fertiliser facility (from the http://www.thehindubusinessline.com)

Mumbai, Nov. 19: Zuari Agro Chemicals has signed an agreement with Ras Al Khaimah Maritime City to set up an integrated one million tonne a year diammonium phosphate manufacturing facility in the UAE. The project, being developed with an investment of $800 million (about Rs 4,400 crore), includes a power plant, private jetty and desalination plant. It is planned to be built over 400 acres in the free trade zone of RAK Maritime City. Suresh Krishnan, Managing Director, Zuari Agro, said the project would play a key role in the backward integration programme and help tap the fast growing global fertiliser market. Part of the $3-billion Adventz Group, Zuari has an annual installed capacity of 946,000 tonnes of fertiliser in Goa. The manufacturing facility comprises four separate plants, namely ammonia, urea, NPK A and NPK B. The plants employ the latest in pipe-reactor technology and are based on the slurry granulation process. The project in the UAE will further strengthen the company’s manufacturing foothold outside India. Last year, the company formed a joint venture with Mitsubishi Corporation, Japan, to form a new rock phosphate manufacturing company, MCA Phosphates Pte Ltd. Since then, MCA Phosphates acquired 30 per cent equity stake in Fosfatos del Pacifico of Peru for $46.12 million. Zuari Maroc Phosphates, a joint venture with Maroc Phosphore S.A., Morocco, acquired Paradeep Phosphates (PPL). At present, the company holds 80 per cent of the equity stake in PPL. PPL manufactures and markets complex phosphatic fertilisers and intermediary products such as phosphoric acid and sulphuric acid, which are crucial in the manufacture of phosphatic fertilisers. It has a plant located in the port town of Paradeep in Odisha, with an installed annual capacity of 720,000 tonnes of DAP and other phosphatic fertilisers. The off-site facilities comprise a 3.4-km closed conveyor from port to plant site, a railway siding, raw material storage yards and a 3.1-km long pipe rack.

Saint Paul said me

He was on his seventies, now and old men. Vinicius acomplished 60 and Paul said "I d´nt know he is so young! Yes, Vinicius, in his sixties was a young looking man!

How to build a Sulfuric and Phosphoric Acids Complex (photos of JIFCO em February 2013)

JIFCO - Eshidiya - Jordan

Project Highlights

Plant
1500 TPD of (P2O5) Phosphoric Acid and 4500 TPD Sulphuric Acid and related facilities at Eshidiya, Jordan.

Capital Cost
The Project Capital Cost is estimated at USD 671 million.

Funding
Debt : Equity Ratio 50:50. Equity contribution by sponsorers USD 335.5 Million, Loans USD 335.5 Million from International Financial Corporation (IFC) and European Investment Bank (EIB)

Equity
IFFCO and its affiliates 52% and JPMC 48%.

Loan Disbursement
The Financial Closure for the project is achieved and the first disbursal of 80 Million USD was made by the Senior Lenders on 23rd November 2011.

Effective date of start of Construction Activities
14th October, 2010.

Scheduled Completion of the Project
July, 2013.

Fluor Wins Contract for New Ma’aden Phosphate Project in Saudi Arabia New Contract for PMC Services at New Umm Wu’al Site

IRVING, Texas & RIYADH, Saudi Arabia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) announced today that the company was awarded a new project by Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden). Fluor’s scope of work is to provide project management consulting (PMC) services related to the development of the Umm Wu’al greenfield phosphate project and related facilities in northern Saudi Arabia. Fluor will book approximately $200 million related to the contract in the fourth quarter of 2012. The project kick-off was commemorated at a contract signing ceremony held on December 1 in Saudi Arabia where Ma’aden representatives, local dignitaries and Fluor senior executives were present including Chairman & Chief Executive Officer David Seaton. Fluor’s scopes of work on the Umm Wu’al project will include the following areas: provide overall PMC services for the development of the Umm Wu’al phosphate project; supervise and manage the feasibility study including the development of basic design packages which is undertaken by FEED contractor; manage the development, strategy, and tendering of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) packages; and manage and supervise all EPC contractors during EPC stage until project turnover closeout. “The Middle East has always been an important market for Fluor and we are delighted that our relationship with Ma'aden is expanding with the award of this significant project. We are honored that our client in Saudi Arabia recognizes the value that Fluor brings to a complex project like Umm Wu’al,” said Rick Koumouris, Fluor’s business line lead for Mining & Metals. "We will look forward to working closely with our client and bringing to bear all of the tools in our arsenal - especially our world class safety culture and rigorous processes and procedures - to secure the success of this project.” Fluor will execute the Umm Wu’al project from its offices in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia with support from other global Fluor locations. The company has set a goal of at least 20 percent local Saudi labor content on the project beginning in year one. Once completed, the Umm Wu’al project will have an annual capacity of 100,000 metric tons per annum (MTPA) of food grade purified phosphoric acid; 90,000 MTPA of industrial grade sodium tripoly phosphate; 250,000 MTPA of animal feed grade dicalum phosphate/monocalcium phosphate; along with 280,000,000 MTPA of phosphate and compound fertilizers. The project will likely leverage much of the existing infrastructure including port, rail and other developments put in place by the Saudi Arabia Government.