Hi Peter,
https://news.alcoa.com/alcoa-stories/alcoa-stories-details/default.aspx#id=November-4-2021--Carbon_free_aluminium_smelting_a_step_closer_ELYSIS_advances_commercial_demonstration_and_operates_at_industrial_scale
This week Alcoa and Rio Tinto Canada announced that their joint venture ELYSIS (with support from Canada Gov, Quebec Gov, Apple) is a major step closer to producing carbon free aluminum smelting at commercial scale. As you know, the current traditional reduction of Al2O3 using a large sacrificial carbon anode produces massive quantities of CO2 (0:50 of the video below) but this new process speaks to a "next generation proprietary materials for anodes and cathodes" that lasts some 30 times longer that traditional ones (at 1:00)... which seems to suggest to me that it is still consumed albeit at a lower rate. It looks like they are still using electrolysis but with multiple plates and bulkhead to increase surface area. They speak of there only being 1 byproduct.... oxygen... all very amazing!
ELYSIS video = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvmLGOB1EJo&t=1s
Question(s):
Do you think dross will still be produced with ELYSIS and will need a carbon free solution that PYR could provide?
A:
Do you think pot linings will still be produced and will need to be dealt with... potentially with a PYR solution?
A:
Do you think that PYR plasma processes may have an even greater place up or down stream in this type of new production? Donuts by the dozen?
A:
Best regards,
Tim in Vancouver