<article><p class="lead">Norwegian aluminium producer Norsk Hydro has finally been cleared to resume full operations at its 6.3mn t/yr Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil.</p><p>A federal court yesterday lifted the final embargo under a criminal lawsuit and allowed the company to continue to utilise a new bauxite residue disposal area.</p><p>"We are happy and eager to resume installation and commissioning activities at the state-of-art bauxite residue deposit, which is the only long-term solution for sustainable and robust operations at Alunorte," said John Thuestad, executive vice-president of the firm's bauxite and alumina business area.</p><p>A regional court in the Brazilian state of Para at the end of February last year ordered Hydro to <a href="https://metals.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/1635797">cut alumina production</a> at Alunorte by 50pc over concerns that heavy rain had caused leakages into a nearby river.</p><p>The refinery was cleared to <a href="https://metals.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/1906214">return to full production</a> in May after the federal court cleared Hydro through concurrent civil and criminal lawsuits, leaving the ban on the new bauxite residue deposit area as the only remaining obstacle to resuming full operations at the facility. </p><p>Hydro will now refocus on the efficiency drive that has been a focus of chief executive Hilde Merete Aasheim since she was named to the role <a href="https://metals.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/1903392">earlier this year</a>.</p><p>"This is a milestone for Alunorte and will contribute to our agenda towards a more profitable and sustainable Hydro," Aasheim said.</p></article>
