Xstrata Nickel / North America
Sudbury Operations
Xstrata Nickel: World > North America
| Detail label | Value |
|---|---|
| Location | Ontario, Canada North America |
| Products | Nickel/copper smelter |
| Employees | Approximately 900 |
| Annual production capacity | 2008 Sudbury Smelter Production Rates
|
Description of Operation
Xstrata Nickel’s Sudbury operations consist of the Nickel Rim South project, a mill and a smelter. The facilities are spread throughout the 60 kilometre, oval-shaped geological formation known as the Sudbury Basin. Nickel and copper are the primary metals but cobalt and precious metals, such as platinum are also produced.
Nickel Rim South was discovered in 2001 and is expected to provide high value ore feed for more than 15 years. The project is located nine kilometres north of the Sudbury smelter. Mine commissioning is scheduled to commence in 2009 with full mine production achieved in 2010.
The Strathcona mill receives ore from the mine and produces two concentrate streams- a copper concentrate which is treated at the Kidd Metallurgical complex and nickel concentrate which is transported to the Sudbury smelter for processing.
The Sudbury smelter smelts nickel-copper concentrate from the Sudbury, Raglan and Xstrata Nickel Australasia mines and processes custom-feed materials. The smelter’s electric furnace converts the mineral concentrate into a high-grade matte containing nickel, copper, cobalt and platinum group metals. The smelted and granulated matte is transported to Nikkelverk in Norway for refining.
Brief History of the Operation
The Company has been mining nickel-copper ores in the Sudbury area of northern Ontario, Canada, since 1929.