Tougher times might be on the horizon for the Port Pirie smelter after the new licence with stricter requirements from the Environment Protection Authority, and now the announcement of the decrease of zinc and lead productions from the 2012 half-year results.
The zinc production decreased four-per cent from 563,000 tonnes in the second semester of 2011 to 538,000 in this half-year’s results.
Lead production went from 99,000 tonnes in the second semester of 2011 to 85,000 this year.
But chief executive officer of Nyrstar, Roland Junck, said the production from the smelters were in line with management’s expectations.
“We are pleased to report strong operating performance by the mining and smelting segments of the business with production from our own mines up 25-per cent over the half and production from the smelters in line with management’s expectations,” he said.
“Following production issues experienced in the first quarter, the smelting segment recovered well in the second quarter and we continue to expect production from the smelters of approximately 1.1 million tonnes of zinc metal over the year.”
Nyrstar’s report said smelting operating costs per tonne of $665 were impacted by a strong Australian dollar.
According to the report, smelting was down 33-per cent, impacted by lower treatment charges and reduced contribution from silver bearing material at Port Pirie.
