Noranda announced that due to sluggish demand for lead, it will operate its Belledune smelter on an eight-month seasonal basis while shutting down for four consecutive months each year, beginning in July 2003. The move will reduce lead production by around 22 percent.
In making the announcement, Thompson Hickey, Noranda Brunswick Smelter’s general manager, said "The weakening conditions in the marketplace, combined with the rapid decrease in treatment charges over the last two years left us with very few alternatives. Our objective is to be able to maintain operations with a positive cash flow while significantly reducing our operating costs."
Brunswick's current average annual production is 100,000 metric tons of lead and twelve million ounces of silver. Under the revised seasonal operating plan, Noranda estimates that annual lead production will be about 78,000 metric tons and silver production will be five million ounces. The revised operating plan for the smelter includes increasing the daily production rate in the sinter plant by 10 percent while reducing overall costs by 10 percent.Latest from Recycling Today
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