Scientists have reported that experiments in making steel from redsludge, a by-product of producing aluminium, offers a solution toenvironmental problems in the bauxite-alumina project in the CentralHighlands.

The announcement was made by Deputy Prime MinisterHoang Trung Hai during a visit to a factory in Hai Phong city where theindustrial-scale experiment was carried out.

The tests involved the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) and the Thai Hung Company.

Theacademy said red sludge, or red mud, a toxic by-product of theproduction of alumina from bauxite contained high amounts of iron. Theyadded that this could give Vietnam an advantage in steel production.

The report also said that a batch of steel refined from red mud met the strict standards set for Japanese SD 390 steel.

Nguyen Van Tuan, director of Thai Hung Company, said 2.4 tonnes of dry red mud could produce a tonne of iron ore.

VuDuc Loi, deputy director of the Institute of Chemistry, saidexperiments would be completed by June and that the research team couldthen start feasibility studies on production.

Assessing theresult of the trial project, Professor Nguyen Van Hieu, a leadingscientist, said the project was a breakthrough in various ways,including opening up a path for more sustainable bauxite development.

DeputyPrime Minister Hoang Trung Hai praised test results, saying they wouldhelp provide solutions to environmental degradation around the miningsites in the Central Highlands.

Hai aksed relevant parties tocontinue their research, adding that the Government would considersupporting the project with appropriate policies.-VNA