Ausmelt Lands Second Lead Smelter Contract in China

Ausmelt, an Australian lead smelting firm, has signed a contract to supply a lead smelter with a capacity to produce 60,000 metric tons of lead a year to the Chinese firm Hulunbeier Chihong Mining Ltd.

Under the contract, Ausmelt will provide lead smelting technology, design engineering services, commissioning services and equipment.

There are now nine Ausmelt Technology lead smelters operating, or under construction, around the world with a combined production capacity approaching 700,000 metric tons a year of lead metal.

According to Paul Abbot, Ausmelt’s managing director, "With the inclusion of this project our technology will account for 8 percent of the global annual production of lead and this share is growing strongly."

Abbott said this was the 11th TSL smelting project Ausmelt had won in China.

"This signing confirms Ausmelt’s observation that the global economic crisis might have slowed market demand but that contract opportunities will continue to be available for Ausmelt because we are providing the best available technology."