Beryllium Production Development
Beryllium was discovered by Louis-Nicolas Vauquelin in 1798 and is mainly used as a composite element in different alloys. Beryllium based construction materials are light in weight, durable, highly resistant to corrosion and have a dimensional stability over a wide temperature range. Beryllium alloys are 1.5 times lighter that aluminum but, nevertheless, are stronger than other alloy steels with such durability being maintained at temperatures up to 700- 800 degrees Celsius. Beryllium is also radiation resistant and is used in different industrial spheres including electronic engineering, motor-vehicle construction, the petroleum and gas industry, the nuclear power industry, medical science and the aerospace industry.The Ulba Metallurgical Plant (forming a part of the structure of Kazatomprom) takes a strong position on the beryllium production market, today, being the largest world supplier of primary series beryllium production – beryllium and its master alloys base.
Further development of beryllium production, and obtaining maximum competitive success, is possible in the case of a production cost decrease and to this purpose the beryllium production industry intendeds to:
- Improve the existing technology of beryllium extraction, from ores and concentrates, to obtain cheaper beryllium hydroxide, yet, with a quality equal to the current hydroxide.
- Develop technologies and equipment for production of different types of products, from beryllium bronze, in accordance with world and domestic market requirements, including products for the oil and gas industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
- Improve technologies and equipment of operating capacities, for production of beryllium metal and beryllium bearing master alloys, to reduce costs at its production.
The new Beryllium production development strategy is focused on the output of competitive products, with a higher added value, based on high-end technologies. For this purpose a number of high technology innovation projects are being fulfilled:
The production of beryllium copper flat-rolled products within the framework of a Joint Venture with the People’s Republic of China.
