ICI Australia Undertakes Feasibility Studies for Yarwun Expansion

19th June, 1997

Following ICI Explosives announcement of planned investment in China, it also announced that it is conducting a feasibility study to construct an anhydrous ammonia import terminal and storage tank at Yarwun, 7km west of Gladstone, Queensland. A feasibility study is also being conducted on expansion of the ammonium nitrate plant on the Yarwun site.

Division Manager, Max Warren, said the ammonia project would include a cryogenic storage tank with capacity up to 30,000 tonnes at a cost of some $40 million. The use of 15,000 - 20,000 tonne import shipments will reduce the number of road freight movements of ammonia in the local area and improve the cost competitiveness of the Yarwun site manufacturing plants.

The ICI Yarwun site uses ammonia to manufacture ammonium nitrate and sodium cyanide for the mining industry.

The ammonium nitrate plant currently produces 240,000 tpa. The ammonia import terminal will also provide the opportunity to further expand ammonium nitrate capacity to an expected 420,000 tpa within the next few years. A feasibility study for this investment is currently in progress.

The ammonia import terminal and tank investment study is expected to be completed this year which would allow for commissioning in 1999.