MWCC entered into an agreement with Rio Tinto covering the design, manufacture and testing of a microwave pilot plant for bauxite processing, moving to the pilot stage after approximately 2 years of joint development.
MWCC Co., Ltd. entered into an agreement with major global resources company Rio Tinto Aluminium Limited to design, manufacture and test a pilot plant using microwave processing technology for the refining of bauxite. The agreement marks the start of a phase aimed at commercialisation following approximately 2 years of joint development.
At its Osaka facility, the company will handle the detailed design, manufacture, installation and testing of the pilot plant, and will evaluate operating conditions optimised for bauxite ore processing. Under the plan, manufacturing will begin in April 2027, demonstration testing will begin after completion in March 2028, and future scale-up to commercial scale is envisioned.
MWCC changed its corporate name from Microwave Chemical Co., Ltd. to MWCC on 1 October 2026. The project represents the company's growth strategy of expanding into new fields and expanding domestic and overseas markets.