Xstrata Nickel boosts cobalt--nickel recycling production.

• Author: Ross, Ian
• Position: NEWS

The new owners of Falconbridge will be inheriting a new Sudbury asset by next summer that's expected to boost their nickel and cobalt recycling business.

Construction began in September on a $21.4 million metal recycling plant at Xstrata Nickel's smelter complex that's expected to double the capacity of their existing recycling business.

In a Sept. 19 statement, Mike Romaniuk, vice-president of Sudbury operations, said the expansion allows the company to profitably take in a variety of feed stock and delivers a distinct competitive advantage in the metal recycling market.

"The demand for cobalt and nickel recycling has significantly increased in recent years due to high metal prices and rapid technological advances, and we will now be better able to meet this customer need."

Prior to the Xstrata takeover, Falcon-bridge already was one of the world's largest recyclers of electronic components and a major recycler in Sudbury, and among their global operations of secondary copper, nickel, gold, silver, platinium, palladium and lead. Xstrata Nickel spokesman Ian Hamilton says the company doesn't release input or production figures for competitive reasons.

The project was given approval late last fall by the previous Falconbridge management. It is scheduled for commissioning next July.

The plant will...