Smelter to close...maybe

The private company will be closing the smelter for two reasons.
1) not enough ore to process
2) requirements to upgrade smelter to meet new provincial standards will be far too costly for the small amount of ore there is to process

http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/manitoba/2010/11/17/16186291.html

Selinger...we vow to fight the closure


sigh.. what are you going to do Selinger prop up the private company to keep an unprofitable business open?

...shades of Pine Falls eh.

He's got to be seen saying that. It's for show.

what is HYSTERICAL about this...

Selinger: we will fight to keep the smelter open

Reason for closing: New provincial standards required for smelter upgrades

So the REASON the smelter is closing, is because the government forced them to shut down....and yet the government is vowing to keep the smelter open?

Maybe they can just change the rules so they can keep working without government interference.

They were Federal regulations though.

But still, Selinger can't be seen as opposing better standards eh.

heh.. welll....... the required smelter upgrades would help the environment eh?

and the manitoba government has committed to helping the environment no matter what the cost

Heh...rock meet hard place eh....

ahh...yes...i didn't read the article...just Dean's summary (which said Provincial)

Personally...I think anytime the government imposes new "standards" like these...they should be prepared to pay the bill for any EXISTING equipment upgrades for companies it may affect.

It would be different if the company was buying a new smelter, the new equipment should meet the standard on purchase...but to bring old equipment up to a new "code" should NOT be the responsibility of the company...as when their equipment was installed, it met the standards set THEN.

The real problem is that they are simply out of stuff to smelt though.. Apparently they have been shipping in ore for a long time.. and even that will run out by 2013.

Of course it is still cheaper to bring in from long distances, but not if they also require a massive billion dollar + upgrade at the same time.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Thompson-nickel-smelter-closing-108692374.html?viewAllComments=y


I like this comment..

the company determined it will not be able to meet new federal sulphur dioxide emissions standards required by 2015.

a few months after HudBay Minerals closed its copper smelter in Flin Flon (they couldn't viable meet emission standards also)

Re: Suburban Capitalist

Correct you are - Global companies look at everything that way - tax rates and wages/benefits are at the top of list of expenditures that they are constantly trying to reduce LONG TERM - Globally!

And it is becoming apparent that eco standards have moved to the top if the list when Manitoba industry is being discussed.

It is great that Manitoba/Canada has such high standards that protect the environment - but to what extent is it going to effect our economy forward - when industries are taking such hugh hits to meet our standards?

Is Eco standards killing Manitoba??

A moratorium was put on the pork industry for eco reasons?

Bipole being built on the west side due to eco reasons?

There was also a huge dig supposedly going ahead just north of grand rapids mb on #6 - but i can't locate it on the vale web site anymore - what is the status of it?

The Manitoba and Canadian gov has to get up to speed with what is reality - or we may become a third world province - FAST!

WHO is really to paying for the eco standards?? Mb business? Mb tax payers? Feds? MB worker?

How many jobs are expected to be lost?

There was a time when that mine produced a significant portion of the worlds supply of nickel. The volatility of mineral prices has dampened production there of late. I expect that is playing a role in the decision process as well.

600

but that is not necessarily a HARD 600 since the company wants to invest 1 billion in other stuff in and around the mine.

They can't fill dozen's and dozen's of jobs now (and yet the chiefs say there is no work for their people). I expect those jobs will be kept but redeployed.

so do I

but the premier will look like

I SAVED 600 JOBSS!!!!!!


because of some sort of ...hmm.. 2 million dollar I guess.. commitment for retraining money... when the company was probably going to do it anyway.

They are going to retrain 500 people to work on hauling clean water to the different households!

Was in Thompson in mid September and this is a town living on borrowed time. Born in the 50's and paid for by Inco, there is some real concerns that since Vale bought Inco out, the company will no longer support the City.

At one time inco supported most of the community infrastructure considering it was basically a town the company built. Vale on the other hand is South American and has no qualms about anything except its bottom line.

Manitoba is spending 80 million to build a university up there. it's a major problem for a City that has been halved over the years. they actually scoff when you mention that Winnipeg taxes help them stay afloat. They think its the other way around. Peculiar.

Meh. Delete, delete.