Upgrades to begin at recently-rescued Port Pirie smelter

A 50-day upgrade program begins this week at the Port Pirie smelter run by Nyrstar – which was recently awarded $135 million in federal and state funding to save its two Australian sites – with $80 million to be invested in shoring up the long-term competitiveness of the multi-metals processing facility.

According to a statement on Wednesday from industry minister Tim Ayres, 350 subcontractors from 90 suppliers will be engaged in the project. 

Major works are to include “a re-line of the Top Submerged Lance (TSL) furnace, a rebuild of the Copper Dross Furnace, and the construction of an improved enclosure for the Blast Furnace. 

“Together with upgrades to the Acid Plant, fume handling systems, wastewater treatment and refinery flues, these projects represent a coordinated investment” in the site’s future.

CEO Matt Howell added that the investment “is about improving the efficiency and competitiveness of our Port Pirie operations while underpinning our critical metals production that Australia, the US and other global partners need.”

The $135 million in funding from the federal, South Australian and Tasmanian governments cover ongoing operations across Nyrstar’s Port Pirie and Hobart sites, which the Trafigura-owned company advances engineering planning for “a significant rebuild” of these smelters “and fast-tracks feasibility studies into new critical metals production.”

On Wednesday the federal and Queensland governments announced a $600 million, three-year assistance package to keep Glencore's Mount Isa Copper Smelter and Townsville Refinery running until the end of 2028.

Meanwhile, Nyrstar is also progressing work to establish an antimony pilot plant at Port Pirie, aiming to begin production next year, and exploring the potential to produce bismuth and tellurium at that facility as well as germanium and indium at the Hobart Zinc Works.

Picture: the Nyrstar zinc works at Hobart (credit Gary Houston, CC0)

Further reading

Federal, SA, Tas governments pledge $135 million to save Nyrstar’s struggling smelters, explore critical mineral diversification 

Nyrstar warns of ‘urgent, serious’ risk of smelter closure

Losing lead and zinc means losing critical mineral export potential, says new Nyrstar-commissioned report

Nyrstar increases local spending at Port Pirie operations

Early works underway at $23 million Nyrstar product recycling facility