Malaysia starts to build its first Magnesium smelting plant

The ground breaking work of Malaysia's first magnesium smelting plant started in Malaysia's northwestern state of Perak on Tuesday, which is expected to produce 900,000 tons of magnesium each year by 2010.

The 180 million-ringgit (54.5 million-U.S. dollar) plant is being constructed in Kamunting Raya Industrial Park by Commerce Venture Magnesium, a subsidiary of Ho Wah Genting Bhd.

Malaysia's national news agency Bernama said that the project was also the first one of such in Southeast Asia.

The plant is expected to come into production by the end of this year. Under the first phase, it will have the capacity to generate 15,000 tons of magnesium per annum.

Upon completion by 2010, it would have the capacity to produce 900,000 tons of the metal per annum. – Xinhua