Summary: The complete version of EI report of Inner Mongolia Bihai Animal Husbandry's "co-production project of vitamin K3, basic chromic sulphate, and other products" was publicised in mid-April.

During 18–23 April, the complete version of Environmental Impact (EI) report of "co-production project of vitamin K3, basic chromic sulphate, and other products", submitted by Inner Mongolia Bihai Animal Husbandry Technology Co., Ltd. (Inner Mongolia Bihai Animal Husbandry), was publicised. The details of Environmental Impact Assessment for this project were previously publicised twice, in Aug. 2022 and Oct. 2022 respectively.

Project overview

• Total investment: USD1.45 million (RMB10.00 million)
• Investment for environmental protection purposes: USD107,887 (RMB745,000)
• Type of project: Expansion construction
• Construction site location: Chahar Right Rear Banner Industrial Park, Ulanqab New Material Industrial Development Zone, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
• Site area: 3.33 ha
• Construction details: The respective production lines for vitamin K3, basic chromic sulphate, organochromium compounds, and zinc benzoate are being built in the spare space of betaine workshop and allicin oil workshop in the company's factory compound. This project utilises most of the existing warehouses, ancillary facilities, public facilities, and facilities for environmental protection purposes, instead of building exclusive ones.
• Product scheme (designed production capacity):
• Main products: 1,000 t/a for vitamin K3 (feed grade) and 15,000 t/a for basic chromic sulphate
• By-products: 400 t/a for organochromium compounds (100 t/a for chromium nicotinate, 100 t/a for chromium propionate, 100 t/a for chromium picolinate, and 100 t/a for chromium methionine) and 2,000 t/a for zinc benzoate
• Consumption of some major raw materials: 12,047.71 t/a of sodium bichromate, 14,425.79 t/a of concentrated sulphuric acid, and 90.06 t/a of nicotinic acid
• Budgeted posts: 50 new workers will be recruited for this project. There will be a total of 70 posts in the factory compound.
• Number of annual working days: 300
• Construction period: Oct. 2022–May 2023
• Economic benefits: The project is expected to generate yearly operating revenues (post-tax) of USD39.90 million (RMB275.50 million), after it is completed and put into operation.

The project has certain advantages of environmental protection, addressing the heavy pollution featured by production of vitamin K3 series products.

• Chromium-containing wastewater generated is transported back into the process and undergoes drying as well as evaporation, without being discharged.
• A type of solid waste, precipitator dust (like VK3 precipitator dust and chromium nicotinate precipitator dust) is collected and is treated as a final product (like VK3 final product and chromium nicotinate final product) for sale.

Inner Mongolia Bihai Animal Husbandry was founded on 18 May, 2018. In 2018, the company started the construction of its "construction project of 2,000 t/a allicin oil and 10,000 t/a betaine". In July 2021, the 2,000 t/a allicin oil production line and its supporting facilities in Phase I of said project were built (but the food-grade allicin oil production line had not been built, which left Phase I construction unfinished). Due to market factors and environmental protection factors, the company has decided to rescind Phase II of said project that includes 10,000 t/a betaine capacity. Based on the completed construction sections of said project, the company carries out "co-production project of vitamin K3, basic chromic sulphate, and other products" in order to introduce products with greater market prospects like vitamin K3.