Ann: Armour Energy Updates its Northern Territory, page-9

re: Ann: Armour Energy Updates its Northern T...

DARWIN, Feb 13 AAP - Northern Territory Chief Minister Terry
Mills is poised to announce whether mining giant Rio Tinto will
keep open its Gove alumina refinery.
Rio Tinto executives have arrived in the outback town of
Nhulunbuy as crunch time approaches for the alumina refinery, which
many of the 3800 residents rely on economically.
A spokeswoman for Mr Mills said an announcement would be made in
parliament on Wednesday morning.
Dave Suter, from the Nhulunbuy Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
said a meeting with Rio Tinto and his group had been called for 1pm
(CST) on Wednesday, with workers to be addressed by the company
earlier in the day.
Mr Suter said he was feeling fairly confident the news would be
good for his town.
Chairman of the East Arnhem Futures Alliance, Klaus Helms, said
he would be very surprised if Rio Tinto closed the refinery, given
the efforts from the government and townspeople.
"We have come this far ... it would be very stupid for Rio to
say no," Mr Helms said.
The Gove refinery has been making a loss of about $US30 million
($A29.27 million) each month for mining giant Rio Tinto Ltd and an
internal review indicated it should be temporarily closed.
Rio Tinto runs the refinery via its subsidiary Pacific Aluminium
and has been trying to sell the operation.
Pacific Aluminium has hinted that if the plant was converted to
gas from diesel, and the NT unconditionally guaranteed 10 years'
supply, it would keep the refinery open.
Mr Mills this week agreed to release enough gas to keep the Gove
refinery open for the next 10 years - subject to Rio Tinto agreeing
to keep the refinery open for that period.
AAP xlc/gd