INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY

FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SEMESTER IV, SESSION 2015/2016

METALS AND ALLOYS

SCB2013

ASSIGNMENT
SAKURA FERROALLOYS COMPANY

N NAME MATRIC
O NO
1 MOHAMMAD NAZMIN BIN BAKRI 1142333
2 MOHD ZULHILMI BIN MOHD NOOR 1142344
3 MOHAMAD TARMIZI BIN MOHD NASIR 1142367
4 MUHAMMAD NAIM BIN MOHD IDRIS 1142376
5 MUHAMMAD SYUKRI BIN MOHD KHUSAINI 1142379
6 MUHAMMAD ANAS YUZAIRI BIN MOHD YUSRI 1142388
INTRODUCTION

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious and The Most

Merciful, we were grateful and delight as finally our group project on
title Ferrous Alloys was finished. We would like to thank our beloved
lecturer, Dr. Che Wan Zanariah binti Wan Ngah for her helps and
guidance along the process of our research on the topic of ferrous
alloy.
In this introduction section, there will be brief explanation on
why our group decides to choose this topic and what subtopic will be
covered on the next pages. In Chemical industry as well as
Engineering Material, ferrous alloy plays an important role as one of
the abundance material used to produce other products. Ferum
itself is an abundance metals that can be found in the earth crust. In
Malaysia, ferrous alloy industries are run by several big companies
such as Pertama FerroAlloys Sdn. Bhd. and Sakura FerroAlloy.
Our group chose to do research about Sakura FerroAlloy
Company that produce multiple product of ferrous alloy such as
Ferromanganese and Silicomangenese. This company is located at
Samalaju Industrial Park, Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia. This company
has a few shareholders company that invested and run the company
together locally and globally. Among these shareholders are
AssMang, Sumimoto Corporation and ChinaSteel. For the record,
Sakura FerroAlloy has imported its product to several Asian
countries such as Indonesia, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Sakura
Alloy produced almost 107,000 tonnes per annum for
Ferromanganese and 67,000 tonnes per annum for
Silicomanganese. Its smelting plant was powered by hydroelectric
power from Bakun dam and its waste is recycled and produced
briquettes. Biomass briquette machines are used to recycle biomass and agro
forestry waste without adding any chemical in the process. So the produced briquettes
are completely Eco friendly and economical. In the next coming pages, there will be
full covering on Sakura FerroAlloy Company such as the history, background, process
and products that been produced on large scale for uses around the globe.
BACKGROUND

Sakura Ferroalloys Sdn Bhd is an established alloy processing

company based in Bintulu, Sarawak. The company is a joint venture
with shareholders from 3 international companies, where 54.36%
from Assmang Limited from South Africa, 26.64% from Sumitomo
Corporation from Japan and 19% China Steel Corporation from
Taiwan.
Assmang Limited, is a joint venture of African Rainbow
Minerals (ARM) and Assore Limited of South Africa, which holds the
largest share in Sakura Ferroalloys. Assmang Limited is the supplier
of the raw materials for Sakura Ferroalloys as it has two main mines
in North Cape Province in South Africa which are Khumani Mine and
Beeshoek Mine. Assmang Limited is divided into 3 main divisions;
Iron Ore, Manganese and Chrome. Assmangs first shipment of
materials for Sakura Ferroalloys was only in March 2016.
Sumitomo Corporation based in Japan is an established
company that deals in wide variety of fields including metal
products, transportation, environmental and infrastructure, mineral
resources and even media network and services. The company has
had many business relations with other companies in Japan and
worldwide, considering the extents of their expertise in many fields
of trade.
China Steel Corporation (CSC) is the largest steel
manufacturing company in Taiwan with nearly 50 years of
productions, having founded in 1971. With a wide range of steel
products including plates, bars, wire rods, hot and cold rolled coils,
CSC will contribute for processing and production for Sakura
Ferroalloys. With no doubt, CSC will be the main off-taker of
products produced by Sakura Ferroalloy in the years to come.
 PROCESS OF FERROALLOYS

Ferroalloys are known as master alloys containing iron and one or more non-
ferrous metals as alloying elements. There are two classes of ferroalloys which are
bulk ferroalloys and special ferroalloys. Bulk ferroalloys are produced in large
quantities in electric arc furnaces and are usually used in steel making and steel or
iron foundries. While on the other hand, special ferroalloys are produced in smaller
quantities, but with growing importance and with more various use.
The use of electric furnaces and reaction crucibles are generally involved in
production of ferroalloys into natural products such as quartz, lime and various ores,
wood and others. With relatively fluctuating physical composition are loaded.
As there are primary and secondary raw material, the production of ferroalloys
can be carried out as primary or secondary process depends on the raw material used.
The principle chemistry of both process is shown in Figure 1.0.

Figure 1.0 Simplified process scheme for primary (top left) and secondary (bottom
right) production of ferroalloys.
The primary process can be either carbo-thermic of metallo-thermic reduction
of oxidic ores or concentrates. In the carbo-thermic reduction (the most important
process), carbon in the form of coke (metallurgical coke), coal or charcoal is used as
the reducing agent. When the blast furnace is used, coke is also needed as an energy
source. To account for this, the process scheme also contains a fuel input and
combustion emissions output. Metallo-thermic reduction is mainly carried out with
either silicon or aluminum as the reducing agent.
PRODUCT

Sakura Ferroalloys Sdn Bhd produces variety of ferrous alloy

product. The companys plant manufactured high carbon ferro-
manganese (HCFeMn) and silicon manganese (SiMn). One furnace
able to produce approximately 107,000 tons of ferro-manganese per
annum while the other furnace can produce up to 67,000 tons of
silicon manganese per annum. Each furnace was designed to be
able to switch between ferro-manganese or silicon manganese to be
produced. The plant has the flexibility to choose either to fully
produce ferro-manganese, silicon manganese or both at one time.
These great technologies give the company an advantage to be able
to fulfill the market demands.

Ferromanganese and ferro-alloys are important ingredients in

production of various types of alloy steel, alloy iron and carbon.
They are also used widely in the alloying process for de-oxidation,
de-sulfurization and refining of steel. The other uses of this company
product, ferro-alloys is for producing the other metals and the duty
is to act as the reducing agent (reductant) in completing the
production process. Ferro-alloys are also been consumed by the
foundries and electrodes industries.
CONCLUSION

Generally, Sakura Ferroalloy Compay is considered an important

stage for the Malaysian, as it is the beginning of the new era of
modern technology in chemical industry particularly regarding
ferum metal.
Located in Sarawak, this Sakura Ferroalloy company manage to
establish itself into a one of successful company in Malaysia as it
manage to make collaboration with international big company such
as AssMang Limited, Sumitomo Corporation and China Steel
Corporation. Furthermore, this company has imported various of its
products around the world for instance Indonesia, Japan and South
Korea. This all around the world business also has brought
Malaysias name to the top among the other big industrial countries.
Sakura Ferrolloy Company mainly produces two major products
which is Ferromanganese and Siliconmanganese. These two
products contribute most of the profit to this company as it
commercial values has rose up along the years.

Last but not least, although Sakura Ferroalloy Company can be

considered a new company, it has achieved a lot despite there a lot
other company to compete in this field. Moreover, company such as
Sakura Ferroalloy and Pertama Ferroalloys allow the chemical
technology growth more rapidly in Malaysia.
REFERENCES
China Steel (2016) Brief of China Steel Corporation. Retrieved from
[http://www.csc.com.tw/csc_e/ch/ifo/ifo.html]

Jack Wong (2015) Sakura Ferroalloys aim to export to Asian

countries. Retrieved from
[http://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-
news/2015/02/02/sakura-ferroalloys-aims-to-export-to-asian-
countries/]