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Downstream processing proves elusive
10-September-08
Written by Mark Beyer

Increased downstream processing of Western Australia's mineral resources has for many years been the goal of successive governments.

Aluminium smelters, petrochemical facilities and steel mills have been the goal, but they remain elusive.

One of the few recent achievements in this area was the construction of Burrup Fertilisers' $700 million ammonia plant on the Burrup Peninsula.

Just as notable was the failure of about half a dozen other gas processing projects to proceed, mainly because gas and construction costs rose rapidly to the point where they were not considered commercially viable.

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