Abstract:
In 1907 the large Göta river waterfalls in Trollhättan started to be developed to produce electric energy, more or less, simultaneously negotiations were ongoing with Wargön Bruk AB to acquire the fall rights at Wargön Bruk AB’s property in the same Göta river about 7 km upstream from Trollhättan. A contract was signed where Trollhättan’s Vattenfall acquired the fall rights but Wargöns Bruk AB had to accept a 40-year long contract to pay for 4000 hp consumed or not. Everybody was happy until the first invoice arrived, and no plans were done on how to consume 4000 hp. After a quick survey in the paper mill, a possible consumption of 1000 hp were found where to consume the rest
The following was found and discussed;
One of the major owners of the company had a manganese mine in his possession
Tests to produce SiMn had been performed in Norway with good results.
Char coal if needed was available, within the company to be used as reducing assets
Good quality quartzite was available at 100 km north of the company and could be shipped by a vessel over the lake Vänern
Second-hand equipment could be purchased in Trollhättan
The electric power was available
In December 1911 it was decided to build a ferroalloy plant close to the paper and pulp plant, and just at 100 m from the river.
In January 1913 a board meeting tells that the alloy plant produced about 600 tonnes of SiMn and FeSi during 1912.
A century later the alloy plant still exists on the same spot. The paper and pulp mill is closed for some years. That mill was sold already in 1969 and the alloy plant lived by itself.
The alloy plant has today 4 units and is producing HC FeCr of various grades. It is procured with raw materials (Chrome ore) from the group’s own mines in Turkey and Kazakhstan. As initially, the company operated as an integrated plant producing various Manganese products using company Manganese ore resources it is today back as an integrated producer. Now for various Cr-products with based on internal Chrome ore resources.
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