Specialty Aluminas

Refractory applications
 01

Rio Tinto Alcan Specialty
Aluminas at a Glance
• World’s largest supplier of Specialty Aluminas with
750,000 tonnes of alumina based products (hydrate,
aluminas and fused)
• Headquartered in Gardanne (France) with regional office
in Cleveland (US)
• Six production facilities in Europe and North America
• Global sales network
• Development centres in Europe and North America
• Leading positions in Ceramics (technical and standard),
Refractory, Abrasives, Specialty Glass, Chemicals,
Feedstock, Catalyst and Adsorbents
• More than 1,200 delivered sites spread in 60 countries
over the five continents
Refractory applications
Rio Tinto Alcan
Specialty Aluminas
Today’s Specialities for
a sustainable future…
Specialty Aluminas business These products find application
from Rio Tinto Alcan is the largest in a plethora of markets, including
supplier of non-metallurgical grade advanced ceramics, refractories,
alumina (NMGA) with an unrivalled abrasives, solid surfacing, fire
capability of offering you a very retardants, adsorbents, specialty
broad range of alumina based glasses, tiles and feedstocks for the
products wherever you are located manufacture of aluminium based
in the world. chemicals particularly for catalysts
and water treatment.
Our focus is on providing consistent
products, reliable service, backed We have recently reinforced our
by a strong commercial organisation presence in the Ceramics, Abrasives,
with the support of highly skilled Specialty Glass and Refractory
application oriented technical teams. markets with dedicated sales and
technical teams. These teams aim
Thanks to our integrated approach to answer all your needs for alumina
from hydrates to aluminas, we provide supply.
a wide range of technical aluminas
for your business. Our comprehensive
product range extends to alumina
hydrates, calcined aluminas, low
soda aluminas, activated aluminas,
tabular aluminas, and white and
brown fused aluminas. In addition
to these alumina based materials,
there are a number of other related
high performance products such as
zirconia-aluminas, Abral®, sintered
alumina and sintered bauxite.

01 Introduction
02 Business overview
03 Excellence through integration
04 Technical features
06 Product data
BC Contact
Locations
02 03
Business overview Excellence through integration
Refractory applications
Rio Tinto Alcan

The Specialty Aluminas global
organisation was created in 2008
to focus on the manufacture, sales,
marketing and development of
NMGA within the Rio Tinto Group.
This new business is combining
the North American and European
NMGA activities of Rio Tinto Alcan’s
Bauxite & Alumina business unit.
The Specialty Aluminas business
operates six plants (four in Europe
and two in North America) with
a total annual capacity of over
750,000 tonnes of alumina based
products.
A brief history
Specialty Aluminas combines a long
and rich history of innovation in
specialty hydrates and aluminas,
based on previous PECHINEY and
ALCAN activities.
In operation since 1893, the
Gardanne plant was the first
industrial alumina refinery plant.
It continues to this day as an efficient
and critical supplier of alumina
hydrate and aluminas to Europe
and the world. The business has
been at the forefront of many areas
of development and innovation
in the specialty alumina industry
and maintains a strong technical
development team today.
A clear focus on specialty aluminas
Over the last 20 years, Gardanne’s
output has been progressively
converted to specialty aluminas.
In recent years, this drive has
intensified, and today the entire
focus of the Specialty Aluminas
business is on these products.
To achieve this objective, we have
invested significant sums in recent
years to:
• Increase grinding capacity in
Gardanne and Beyrède (France)
• Improve our logistics management
with new silos in Gardanne
• Invest in sustainable development
(residue and water management,
dust reduction).
A commitment for Health, Safety
and Environment
Rio Tinto's philosophy, approach
and standards in Health, Safety and
the Environment are world class.
The Specialty Aluminas business
is committed to protecting the
environment, preventing pollution
and safeguarding the health, safety
and welfare of those who work at
or visit our sites in a manner that
is respectful of local laws, customs
and cultures. • White fused alumina, bubble
Development and innovation
Our product development and
application laboratories in Gardanne
are equipped to undertake work in
all key areas of activity including
ceramics, refractories, abrasives and
floorings.
In order to improve our knowledge
on applications, we work in close
partnership with specialised
external laboratories and technically-
leading customers. This application
development team is supported
by our extremely well equipped
analytical laboratory and experienced
analytical team in their work.
For activated alumina, a dedicated
product laboratory is established
in our plant in Brockville.
Through our integrated Our prime raw material is bauxite,
production process we can which is converted to aluminium
deliver a technologically superior hydroxide and then alumina in our
and diverse product range. refineries (Gardanne in France and
Vaudreuil in Canada).
Aluminium hydroxide is supplied as
feed to make activated alumina at our
plant in Brockville (Canada). Calcined
alumina is in turn supplied to our
fusion and sintering plants to make
fused and tabular alumina.
Our ability to control all aspects
of our production from the bauxite
input through every stage of the
process enables us to produce tailor
made feeds, which are optimum for
your application. The full control
over all our prime feedstocks gives
us almost an unparalleled ability to
control the ideal particle size, purity
and morphology of our products.
From Bauxite to Specialty Aluminas Integrated process from ore to finished products
Teutschenthal
Gardanne Sintering
Tabular Aluminas
Bayer Process
Hydrates
Calcination La Bâthie
Calcined Aluminas
Fusion
White Fused Aluminas
Refractory applications
Rio Tinto Alcan
Thanks to this integrated model from
hydrates to aluminas, we provide a
wide range of technical aluminas for
your business. We offer the following
products from our six plants:
• Moist, dried and milled hydrate
from Gardanne
• Moist, dried and super white hydrate
from Vaudreuil
• Calcined, low soda and milled
alumina from Gardanne
• Activated alumina from Brockville
alumina, nitrides, and Abral®
from La Bâthie
• Brown fused alumina, and high
performance grains (sintered
bauxite, sintered alumina and
zirconia-alumina) from Beyrède
• Tabular alumina from
Teutschenthal.

A global sales network

The Specialty Aluminas business has Beyrède
a world wide sales force, supported
by a market oriented organisation Sintering
focussed on your business. This Sintered Bauxite
Bauxite Customers
organisation is comprised of Marketing
and Communication, Application Fusion
Engineers and Logistic teams. Brown Fused Aluminas

Vaudreuil
Bayer Process Brockville
Hydrates
Flashing/Pelletising
Activated Aluminas
Dissolution/Precipitation
Super White Hydrate
04 Refractory applications 05
Technical features
Refractory applications
Rio Tinto Alcan

Refractory applications
Rio Tinto Alcan
Refractories are materials that can withstand high temperatures and Function vs. alumina type
chemically challenging environments.
Aggregates Matrix Additives
Purpose • Refractoriness • Specific properties for • Processing aid
Historically, the largest quantities of refractories have been made from • High temperature high density shaped • Specific properties
alumino-silicate containing minerals but by adding pure alumina, this allows strength with resistance and unshaped products
the refractory producer to manufacture products with improved chemical, to corrosion and erosion

mechanical and thermal resistance characteristics and much longer service White Fused Aluminas CAR (0–10 mm) CAR (0–0.1mm)
Brown Fused Aluminas
lifetimes. In a typical refractory, aluminas have a key role as components SD (0–30 mm) SD (0–0.5 mm)
Bubble Aluminas GL (0–5 mm) GL (0–0.5 mm)
of aggregates, matrix grains and additives. Aggregates bring refractoriness,
Tabular Aluminas Alutab® (0–10 mm) Alutab® (0–0.045 mm)
high temperature strength with resistance to corrosion and erosion. The fine
Zirconia Aluminas PBZ PBZ
and ultrafine components of a refractory product, referred to as the matrix,
Calcined Aluminas AC34, AC44
are used to engineer specific properties in the finished product. Additives
Ground Calcined Aluminas AC34 or AC44 B4/B5/B6
may be used in order to engineer specific properties or aid processing. GA4R
Reactive Aluminas Mono-modal PFR, PFR15, PFR20
Specialty Aluminas’ integrated approach enables us to control all aspects of Reactive Aluminas Multi-modal PBR, PAR, PMR, PMR25,
our production from bauxite through to finished products. It also gives us the PMR30, PMR40, PFR40,
XMD01, M4R
opportunity to offer a broad range of consistent, carefully controlled grades Nitrides Sialon N50
to provide our customers with the optimum material for a wide range of Silicon Nitride N10/20
refractory applications.

Wide range of applications:
• High alumina bricks
• Shaped materials
• High density materials
• Low cement, ultralow cement
castables
• Insulating materials
Wide range of placement materials: Wide range of industries: 1. Aggregates
• Selflow, pumpable, gunning • Steel industry • Brown Fused Aluminas 1
castables • Foundry • White Fused Aluminas
• Taphole clays • Glass industry • Bubble Aluminas
• Aluminium industry • Zirconia Aluminas
• Incinerators
• Ceramic rollers 2. Matrix 3
• Reactive and Calcined Aluminas

3. Additives 2
• Special products
SEM picture of a high alumina low
cement castables.
06 Product data Ground Calcined Aluminas 07
Calcined and Reactive Aluminas
Refractory applications
Rio Tinto Alcan

Refractory applications
Rio Tinto Alcan
AC34/44 B4/B5/B6 Ground hard calcined aluminas are available with two
GA4R different soda contents (AC34 and AC44) and with median
particle size diameters varying from 4 to 6 μm.
Our Calcined and Reactive aluminas are made from Bayer process hydrate
feedstock manufactured in our Gardanne plant. The flexibility of our Bayer GA4R is a hard calcined aluminium oxide Al2O3 with a
process and rotary kilns allows us to offer a large portfolio covering different medium soda content, ground to a consistent and tightly
alpha alumina contents and unground, milled, and superground products. controlled particle size distribution. Air selection ensures
a top-cut of 98% < 45 µm.
Agglomerate (left) and single (right)
crystal of calcined alumina. Chemical characteristics

AC44 AC34 AC44 AC34 AC44 AC34 GA4R

B4 B5 B6
Al2O3 (%) 99.5 99.6 99.5 99.6 99.5 99.6 –
(by difference)
Na2O (%) 0.36 0.27 0.36 0.27 0.36 0.27 0.36
SiO2 (%) 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.015
Fe2O3 (%) 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.015
Typical data
Calcined Aluminas
Physical characteristics

AC34/AC44 Hard calcined aluminas contain more than 96% of
α-alumina providing very high temperature stability.
Calcined aluminas with two different soda contents are
offered: AC34 and AC44.
B4 B5 B6 GA4R
D50 (µm) 4 5 6 5.5
< 2 µm (%) 22 16 15 –
< 32 µm (%) 99.5 99 97 –
< 45 µm (%) – – – 0.5
BET (m²/g) – – – 0.8
Typical data

Chemical characteristics

AC44 AC34
Agglomerate of calcined Al2O3 (%) 99.5 99.5
alumina. Na2O total (%) 0.36 0.27
SiO2 (%) 0.01 0.01
Fe2O3 (%) 0.012 0.012
Typical data

Physical characteristics

AC44 AC34
D50 (µm) 55 70
< 16 µm (%) 15 13
Typical data

Typical particle size distribution.

08 Reactive Aluminas: Superground Low Soda Aluminas
Refractory applications
Rio Tinto Alcan
PFR/PFR15/PFR20 These superground aluminas have a very well controlled
particle size distribution in the 0.5 to 2 µm range. They are
mainly used in low cement castable (LCC) and ultra low
cement castable (ULCC) formulations to give fine particle
size distribution control of customers’ formulations.
Three different grades of mono-modal reactive aluminas
are available to design your own castables based on
different percentages of each component.
Mono-modal reactive alumina can be used in association
with ground calcined and very fine aggregates to give a
continuous and very broad particle size distribution (PSD).
Chemical characteristics
PFR PFR15 PFR20
Na2O total (%) 0.05 0.035 0.035
SiO2 (%) 0.09 0.1 0.1
Fe2O3 (%) 0.015 0.015 0.015
Typical data
Physical characteristics
PFR PFR15 PFR20
D50 (µm) 0.5 1.3 2
D90 (µm) 1.8 3.5 4
BET (m²/g) 6.4 3 2.1
Typical data
PBR/PAR/ We offer a full range of multi-modal reactive aluminas that
PMR40/PFR40 are designed to give your formulation low water demand,
high density and a controlled PSD.
They are designed to make high performance ULCC or LCC
products with good placement properties as well as high
temperature performance.
Chemical characteristics
PBR PAR PMR40 PFR40
Na2O total (%) 0.05 0.05 0.17 0.05
SiO2 (%) 0.085 0.085 0.085 0.085
Fe2O3 (%) 0.015 0.015 0.015 0.015
Typical data
Physical characteristics
PBR PAR PMR40 PFR40
D50 (µm) 2.5 2 2.9 1.3
D90 (µm) 4.8 4.5 9 4.6
BET (m²/g) 2.7 3 2.3 4.3
Typical data
Typical particle size distribution.
09
Refractory applications
Rio Tinto Alcan
PMR/PMR25/ We continuously develop new reactive aluminas to give the
PMR30/M4R/ best performance in castable formulations. Additionally,
XMD01 we have developed reactive alumina for self flow castables
as well as less dilatant aluminas dedicated to gunning and
pumpable refractories.
Chemical characteristics
PMR PMR25 PMR30 M4R XMD01
Na2O total (%) 0.05 0.17 0.05 0.16 0.16
SiO2 (%) 0.085 0.085 0.085 0.06 0.06
Fe2O3 (%) 0.015 0.015 0.015 0.018 0.018
Typical data
Physical characteristics
PMR PMR25 PMR30 M4R XMD01
D50 (µm) 2.2 3 2.7 2 2.3
D90 (µm) 4.8 6.5 5 16 13
BET (m²/g) 2.4 2.2 2.2 4.2 2.2
Typical data
Typical particle size distribution.
Specialties: Nitrides 10 Aggregates Fused Aggregates: Bubble Aluminas 11

Refractory applications
Rio Tinto Alcan

Refractory applications
Rio Tinto Alcan
We offer a range of high technical products prepared by nitridization of Specialty Aluminas has four production sites in Europe and has the ability GL/GLHP Bubble aluminas are resistant to high temperatures and
silicon and aluminium. These products are useful in silicon carbide based to manufacture different aggregates to cover a broad range of alumina based provide thermal insulating characteristics to give very light
refractories for its corrosion resistance. They are also used in taphole clay refractory formulations. Sintered or fused aggregates can be used to make shaped refractories or monolithics.
formulations because of its non-wetting properties. shaped or unshaped material displaying a wide range of thermo-mechanical
Chemical characteristics
properties as well as excellent chemical resistance.
Left: Molten steel on white
fused alumina. Al2O3 Na2O SiO2 Fe2O3 CaO+MgO
Right: Molten steel on nitride.
Fused Aggregates: White Fused Aluminas (WFA) Standard GL
High Purity GLHP
(%)
(%)
99
99.5
0.18
0.18
0.7
0.07
0.02
0.02
0.03
0.03
Typical data
SEM picture of bubble aluminas.
Physical characteristics
CAR White fused aluminas are produced from our Bayer process
alumina feedstock to gives a very pure and consistent

product. Standard GL
Melting point (˚C) 2050
WFA is useful for applications that require pure materials
Silicon Nitrides that can perform at elevated temperature and is chemically
Thermal conductivity (kcal/h/m²/m/˚C)



0.7
Typical data
inert under aggressive conditions. We offer a wide range

N10/20 Nitrosil 10 and 20 are mainly used in alumina and silicon

of sizes from 10 mm down to very fine products that can
enable you to achieve the best particle packing in your
Fused Aggregates: Zirconia Aluminas
carbide based refractories. refractory product.
SEM picture of white fused
alumina grain.
This gives materials enhanced corrosion and thermal shock PBZ PBZ is used for its extreme toughness and low thermal
Chemical characteristics
resistance. expansion. This grain provides very high mechanical
resistance and improves the service life of control systems.
Al2O3 Na2O SiO2 Fe2O3
This aggregate is a good alternative to zirconia-mullite in
Chemical characteristics CAR (all sizes) (%) 99.7 0.16 0.01 0.02
Typical data refractory as well as in ceramic rollers applications.
N2 O2 Si Fe
N10
N20
(%)
(%)




31
20
4
6
62
58
–
10
Fused Aggregates: Brown Fused Aluminas (BFA) Chemical characteristics

Typical data Al2O3 ZrO2 TiO2 Fe2O3 CaO+MgO SiO2

PBZ (%) 72.6 25 0.5 0.3 0.95 0.6
Particle size distribution SD BFA is an electrofused aggregate produced from calcined Typical data
bauxite. It’s a very dense, non porous aggregate that could
+150 µm +106 µm +63 µm +32 µm -32 µm
N10/20 (%) 0–1% 0–5% 0–10% 5–45% 55–95%
be used up to 1650°C in all type of castables for application
including iron and slag runners and blast furnaces. BFA is
Sintered Aggregates: Tabular Aluminas
Typical data
available in a wide range of grit size (see the table on page 12).

Sialon Chemical characteristics

ALUTAB® Our Tabular alumina is made by sintering our Bayer alumina
feedstock in order to give a large crystalline, pure and
consistent material.
Al2O3 TiO2 SiO2 Fe2O3 CaO MgO
N50 Nitrosial 50 is mainly used as a binder in the manufacture Brown fused alumina fine SD (all sizes) (%) 96 2.8 0.7 0.1 0.12 0.15
of silicon carbide monolithic refractories. Fine fraction (%) 95–96 3 0.7 0.2 0.12 0.15 Chemical characteristics
grains.
Typical data
Al2O3 Na2O SiO2 Fe2O3 CaO Iron Fe
Chemical characteristics
Alutab® (all sizes) (%) 99.3 0.3 0.03 0.04 0.015 < 0.02
Typical data
N2 O2 Si Al
N50 (%) 21 19 30 25 Tabular alumina grains. Physical characteristics
Typical data
Bulk specific gravity Apparent porosity
Particle size distribution
Alutab® (all sizes) > 3.5 g/cm³ ~ 5%
Typical data
+150 µm +63 µm +32 µm -32 µm
N50 (%) 0–1% 0–10% 5–45% 55–95%
Typical data
12 Grit size availability for our range of aggregates
Refractory applications
Rio Tinto Alcan

Tabular White Fused Brown Fused Bubble Zirconia

Mesh Aluminas Aluminas Aluminas Aluminas Aluminas
Closed size
5–30 mm 1/4–1.1/2 inch •
10–25 mm 1/2–1 inch •
5–10 mm 1/4–1/2 inch • • •
3–6 mm 3–6 • • •
4–5 mm 5–6 •
3–5 mm 6–1/4 inch • • •
2–5 mm 1/4 inch–8 mesh • • • •
2–3 mm 6–8 •
1–5 mm 14–1/4 inch •
1–3 mm 6–14 • • • • •
1–2 mm 8–14 • • • • •
0,5–2 mm 8–28 • •
0,5–1 mm 14–28 • • •
0,2–2 mm 8–100 • •
16–24 •
20–30 •
30–54 •
36–54 •
60–120 •
Tabular balls 19mm
Fines fractions
0,2–0,6 mm •
0,2–0,5 mm 28–100 •
0,1–0,5 mm 28–140 • •
0–0,045 mm -325 • •
Open size
0–10 mm -1/2 inch •
0–5 mm -1/4 inch • • • •
0–3 mm -6 • • • • •
0–2 mm -8 • • •
0–1 mm -14 • • • • •
0–0,5 mm -28 • • • •
0–0,3 mm -48 •
0–0,2 mm -100 • • •
0–0,1 mm -140 •
Typical data
Other grit sizes are available on request
Visit our website
www.specialty-aluminas.riotintoalcan.com

Locations

5 2 55 22
1 11
6
11 5 4
6 2 24 4 3
7
66
2 1
33 9
8
7 77

10
3 11 33
66

4 44

12
55

Americas Europe and MEA Asia Pacific

1. Vaudreuil (Canada) 1. Gardanne (France) 1. Shanghai (China)
2. Brockville (Canada) 2. Beyrède (France) 2. Tokyo (Japan)
3. Cleveland (USA) 3. La Bâthie (France) 3. Singapore (Singapore)
4. Montreal (Canada) 4. Teutschenthal (Germany) 4. Brisbane (Australia)
5. Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) 5. Koblenz (Germany) 5. Seoul (South Korea)
6. Mexico City (Mexico) 6. London (UK) 6. Taipei (Taiwan)
7. Milan (Italy) 7. Bangkok (Thailand)
8. Lisbon (Portugal)
9. Istanbul (Turkey)
10. Cairo (Egypt)
11. Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
12. Johannesburg (South Africa)

Key
Headquarters
Development centre
Production facility
Sales representation

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