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Asia/Pacific

Koppers to supply liquid carbon pitch for Rio Tinto smelters in Australia

Koppers Holdings and Rio Tinto Aluminium have agreed to a 42-month contract extension that began on January 1, 2011, and continues through June 30, 2014. Under the terms of the agreement, Koppers will supply and transport liquid carbon pitch to Rio Tinto smelters in Australia at an estimated value in excess of $100 million.

KBR wins technology, process design deal on China coal-based ammonia plant

KBR was awarded a contract by China National Coal Group Corp. to provide ammonia technology, process design package and technical services for two 1,660 tpd ammonia synloop units at a complex in Tuke Industrial Park, Erdos, Inner Mongolia, China.

KBR wins technology deal for phenol/acetone plant in China

KBR has been awarded a contract from Lihuayi Weiyuan Chemical Co. to license its phenol technology for Lihuayi’s grassroots, 220,000 tpy phenol/acetone plant in Lijin County, Shandong Province, China.

Linde to build two air separation plants in China

Technology company The Linde Group has been commissioned to build and operate two large air separation plants to supply gases on site to the Chinese company Yantai Wanhua in Shandong (East China). The contract for the project, which will involve investment of around €130 million, was signed this week.

Praxair to collaborate on environmental research with top China university

Industrial gases major Praxair has entered into a long-term environmental research collaboration with the State Key Lab of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse Study at Tongji University in Shanghai.

Conoco, Origin JV approves Australia LNG project

ConocoPhillips and partner Origin Energy on Thursday gave final approval to build the initial train of a two-train liquefied natural gas (LNG) 9.0 million tpy project by Australia Pacific LNG in Queensland, Australia.

AkzoNobel to buy China specialty surfactants firm Boxing Oleochemicals

AkzoNobel has agreed to acquire China-based Boxing Oleochemicals, allowing it to strengthen its position in specialty surfactants while enhancing its manufacturing footprint in Asia, company officials said.

Rare earths sales likely to triple by 2015 - study

World demand for rare earths is forecast to expand by 7.1%/year to 180,000 metric tons by 2015, according to a new study from US industry market research firm The Freedonia Group. In dollar terms, sales are expected to more than triple from $3.0 billion in 2010 to $9.2 billion in 2015.

QSolar doubles photovoltaic panel output in China

QSolar Ltd. has added a second production line for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in its manufacturing facility in Shanghai, China. The addition of the second line doubles the production capacity from the 20MW/year (about $30 million/year) to 40MW/year (about $60 million/year).

Corning to expand China clean air products plant

The board of directors for glass maker Corning approved a capital expenditure plan of $170 million to further increase capacity at its clean air products plant in Shanghai, China.