Researchers at the University of Tokyo (Japan; park.itc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/nishiba/index.html) have developed a new catalyst that enables the direct synthesis of ammonia at ambient conditions. The breakthrough is a step toward an alternative to the energy-intensive, century-old Habar-Bosch process, which requires high…
Two waste products — carbon dioxide and industrial wastes — are combined to obtain marketable mineral products in a process being developed by startup company CarbonX Inc. (Santa Barbara, Calif.; www.carbonxinc.com). The process produces precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) and silica…
A new system for detecting chemical or biological contaminants in water is made possible by analyzing the swimming pathways of one-celled protozoa that are introduced into the water sample. Alterations of the protozoa’s swimming mechanics, relative to a clean water…
Last month, Outotec Oyj (Espoo, Finland; www.outotec.com) commissioned a new CO2-removal pilot plant at its R&D center in Frankfurt, Germany. The unit compliments the companys circulating, fluidized-bed pilot plant, which is used for cleaning process gas from direct reduction…
JGC Corp. (Yokohama, Japan; www.jgc.co.jp) has been awarded a contract by ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. for the engineering, procurement, and construction of the main process facilities for a diesel hydrotreater project. This project is located at ExxonMobil's Singapore Refinery.…
Outotec Oyj (Espoo, Finland; www.outotech.com) and Hatch Ltd. (Mississauga, Ont., Canada; www.hatch.ca), an unincorporated joint venture (JV), have been awarded a contract by the Ma'aden and Alcoa JV to provide an Integrated Digestion and Evaporation Facility to what will be…
KBR Inc. (Houston; www.kbr.com) has acquired Roberts & Schaefer Co, (Chicago, Ill.), a subsidiary of Elgin National Industries (www.elginindustries.com) and a global leader in engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for bulk material handling and processing systems. The company provides…
Aker Solutions (www.akersolutions.com) has entered into a share purchase agreement (SPA) whereby it has agreed to transfer operations within its Process and Construction (P&C) business area to Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (Jacobs; (Pasadena, Calif.; www.jacobs.com), one of the world’s largest…
SNC-Lavalin Inc. (Montreal; Canada; www.snclavalin.com) has now received the go-ahead for the implementation of the first phase of Rio Tinto Alcan’s AP60 project in Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Quebec. SNC-Lavalin, as a 50:50 joint venture (JV) partner with Hatch Ltd. (Mississauga, Ont., Canada;…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; Washington, D.C.; www.epa.gov) is cutting emissions from gold ore processing and production facilities with a new standard that will reduce annual mercury emissions by more than 75% from 2007 levels. This action is one…