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Acid Plant Database December 23, 2023
Owner | Glencore Canada - CEZinc |
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Location |
860 Boulevard Cadieu Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec Canada J6S 4W2 |
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Operator | Canadian Electrolytic Zinc Limited | |||
Background |
Formerly - Noranda Inc. - Canadian Electrolytic Zinc Acquired by Glencore Canada |
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Website | www.norandaincomefund.com | |||
Plant | Plant No. 1 | Plant No. 2 | Plant No. 3 | |
Coordinates | 45º 13' 38" N, 74º 5' 45" W | 45º 13' 37" N, 74º 5' 43" W | 45º 13' 37" N, 74º 5' 42" W | |
Type of Plant | Metallurgical | Metallurgical | Metallurgical | |
Gas Source |
Zn 2 x 32 m2 Lurgi Roasters |
Zn
72 m2 Lurgi Roasters |
Zn 76 m2 Lurgi Roaster |
|
Plant Capacity |
360 MTPD 415 MTPD (1) |
450 MTPD 499 MTPD (1) |
520 MTPD 482 MTPD (1) |
|
SA/DA | SA | SA | 3/1 DA | |
Status | Operating | Operating | Operating | |
Year Built | 1963 | 1973 | 1981 | |
Technology | Acadian | MECS | MECS | |
Contractor | Acadian | Panamerican/Acadian | Simon-Carves FENCO | |
Remarks | - | |||
Pictures | ||||
General |
Facility commissioned in 1963 In
1992, the Facility became the first zinc refinery in the world to obtain the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9002 certification for
all steps of its zinc production process. In 1995, the ISO 9002
certification was extended to cover the Processing Facility's production of
sulphuric acid. In 2003, the zinc production process and the sulphuric acid
plant received ISO 9001 certification. In 2005, CEZinc earned its ISO
14001-2004 certification covering all environmental processes at the plant. Noranda Income Fund is an income trust whose units trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "NIF.UN". The Noranda Income Fund owns the CEZinc processing facility and ancillary assets (the "CEZinc processing facility") located in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec. The CEZinc processing facility is the second-largest zinc processing facility in North America and the largest zinc processing facility in eastern North America, where the majority of its customers are located. It produces refined zinc metal and various by-products from zinc concentrates purchased from mining operations. The Processing Facility is operated and managed by Canadian Electrolytic Zinc Limited. |
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References | (1)
Rosato, L., Monteith, G. and Centomo, L., "Overview of the Operations of
Canadian Electrolytic Zinc Limited", Lead & Zinc ’05, Proceedings of the
International Symposium on Lead and Zinc Processing, Kyoto, Japan, October
17-19, 2005, Volume – I, pp. 227-236. |
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News |
November 23, 2019 - Mining giant
Glencore is facing a lawsuit in the UK over an acid rain cloud that belched
out from a zinc refinery over homes in Quebec. A non-profit group
claiming to represent 35,000 people is seeking damages of £4,566 each over
the incident in 2004 when an acid pump failed at the Canadian Electrolytic
Zinc Limited (CEZL) refinery in the city of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield,
southwestern Quebec. The group, Environment and Justice, claims
residents were left with irritated skin and difficulty breathing after
sulphur trioxide released from a 250-ft high (76-metre high) chimney created
a cloud of sulphuric acid which wafted eastwards, hovering a few hundred
feet over towns for dozens of miles. January 19, 2018 - Noranda Income Fund provides an update to the market on the work towards returning to normal operating capacity following the ratification of the new collective agreement on December 1, 2017.All active unionized employees returned to work at the processing facility in December 2017. As of the end of December, all equipment that had been idled since February 2017 has been restarted. By the end of January 2018, the Fund’s Manager expects to have completed the ramp up of the processing facility’s operation to normal operating capacity.Once the processing facility has achieved its normal operating rate, and assuming full supply of zinc concentrate, the Fund should be able to produce between 250,000 and 260,000 tonnes of zinc from the treatment of concentrate feeds as well as processing the 20,000 tonnes of Glencore Canada-owned cathode in 2018. As disclosed in November 2017, the Fund sold 20,000 tonnes of zinc cathode to Glencore Canada. It is expected that this material will be tolled by the processing facility. In exchange, the Fund will receive a tolling fee.The Fund, through its Independent Committee and their advisors, is currently negotiating with Glencore Canada and anticipates reaching a satisfactory agreement regarding the supply of zinc concentrate following the end of the current concentrate agreement on April 30, 2018. October 3, 2017 - Noranda Income Fund is disappointed that unionized workers rejected its latest contract offer at its zinc processing facility in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec, the company said Tuesday. Workers at the plant affiliated with the United Steelworkers of America (Metallos) have been on strike since February 12 in a dispute the union says was prompted by the company's demand for concessions on the existing pension plan and refusal to consider other options to cut costs and increase productivity. The union is also calling for greater transparency over NIF's concentrate supply and zinc offtake deal with Switzerland-based commodities group Glencore. Glencore is the largest shareholder of NIF; the company supplies all of the concentrate processed at the refinery and is the sole purchaser of the finished product. NIF said it presented an offer to the union on September 26. At a membership vote on Monday, workers rejected the offer by a "large majority," it said. The union said the 371 striking workers at CEZinc had rejected the company's offer by a 97% majority. "We are disappointed that our employee bargaining unit rejected what we believe to be a fair offer," said Eva Carissimi, president and CEO of Canadian Electrolytic Zinc. "Our offer included improvements in pension rate, early retirement for close to 100 employees over the next five years, as well as wage increases." But the union said the latest NIF offer was little changed from the one it rejected previously. "Eight months into the strike, Noranda Income Fund offered its employees more or less the same contract that provoked the strike in the first place," said Luc Julien, a staff representative with the United Steelworkers/Syndicat des Metallos. "Our members have sent a clear message to the Fund's board of directors -- its offer was unacceptable in February and it is no more acceptable after eight months on the picket line," Julien said. Carissimi said NIF has been focusing its efforts on reducing costs and improving productivity given a change in its concentrate supply agreement which means it is now paying market rates for its feed. "The company has been able to achieve reductions in energy, supplies and services and is seeking to contain future labor cost increases by asking employees to contribute to preserving their defined benefit plan and through changes to the early retirement programs," she said. Union representative Julien said NIF's board and Glencore officials "must get involved and put some pressure on these managers to change their approach". "Our members remain as serious and committed as they were eight months ago when they began this strike. Glencore and the Noranda Income Fund board should ensure that their negotiators are serious about reaching a settlement." With the strike unresolved, NIF said it was continuing to operate the facility with eligible staff. Zinc metal production for the six months ended June 30 was 100,569 mt, down 27% year on year. Februry 13, 2017 - Employees of the CEZinc. refinery in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que., co-owned by Noranda Income Fund and Glencore, began a strike Sunday in response to the company's demands for major concessions.The 371 members of United Steelworkers Local 6486 say the strike was provoked by company demands such as major pension concessions, despite the fact their pension plan is over-funded, with a 114% funding ratio. The company also has steadfastly refused to explore cost-cutting alternatives in the plant's operation, the union says."This employer, Noranda Income Fund, has deliberately pushed us toward a labour dispute," said Steelworkers staff representative Luc Julien."They demand major concessions in the pension plan without being able to demonstrate any serious problems in the plant. And when we propose working together to find operational savings and efficiencies, they don't even want to hear about it," Julien said."We've been more than reasonable throughout the negotiations, but the employer isn't interested in our proposals. They want a blank cheque for concessions," said Steelworkers Local 6486 President Manon Castonguay."On one hand Noranda Income Fund is making demands for serious concessions and on the other hand it refuses to put its cards on the table regarding the contracts it has negotiated with Glencore," Castonguay said."Our plant is competitive, it has highly qualified workers and we've set new production records. We're not going to accept concessions just to please a greedy employer."Noranda Income Fund has failed to demonstrate any financial troubles and it has refused to divulge the terms of its zinc concentrate supply contract with Glencore and the production contract it also has with Glencore, the union says. May 24, 2012 - At least 180,000 people who say they suffered symptoms when a cloud of sulphur trioxide gas swept over the western part of Montreal island on a summer night back in 2004 have joined a class-action suit against the zinc production facility that released the toxic gas. Zinc électrolytique du Canada Ltée, a zinc processing plant in Salaberry de Valleyfield located just southwest of Montreal Island, produces zinc ingots for use in car manufacturing and construction. It is one of the largest zinc processing facilities in the world. At about 9:30 p.m. on August 9, 2004, a piece of equipment at the plant broke, and a 5.95-tonne cloud of sulphur trioxide gas was released from a 180-foot high chimney. Experts have since determined that the cloud would have moved northeast that night sweeping over Ile Perrot around 11:14, and all the way to Ville Saint Laurent by about ten minutes after midnight. Sulphur trioxide gas is one of the ingredients in acid rain. When inhaled at very high concentrations, it can cause death. At lower concentrations it can cause respiratory difficulty, asthma attacks, irritation of eyes, throat and airway, skin rash and cough. According to a spokesperson for Zinc électrolytique du Canada Ltée, in the hours after the release, company officials contacted firefighters, as well as officials at Quebec environment department and Environment Canada. But the company admits it did not contact Urgence Environnement, the Quebec environment department’s environmental emergency service, which it was obliged to do by law. Urgence environnement takes steps to ensure the public is informed immediately of environmental hazards. “We had misinterpreted the law which was only nine months old at the time,” said Jean-François Gagnon, the company’s human resources manager. In the days and weeks following the release, some residents of the communities affected tried to figure out what had happened.
“I
received dozens of calls at the time from people wondering what had happened
because they could smell sulphur, which has a distinct odour, like rotting
eggs,” said André Bélisle, of the anti-air pollution group Association
québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique.
He said that at the time of inhalation, many people he spoke to were
terrified because they had trouble breathing, and some thought they were
going to die. Some of those
affected decided to consult lawyers and organize a class-action suit. Their
first attempt was rejected by the courts, partly because the geographical
areas from which victims could claim were not well defined.
But after Environment Canada completed a three-year investigation of
the accident, which provided more information, the victims tried again. In
March, Quebec Superior Court Judge Chantal Masse authorized the class-action
suit. “This is the first time a
class-action suit has been authorized for a toxic release in Canada,” said
Chantal Desjardins, the lawyer representing the class action claimants.
“It is important the company take responsibility for this,” she said.
“We can’t have companies with no social or environmental conscience getting
away with (toxic) releases like this. It is people’s safety we are talking
about here.” Anyone who was in
the areas defined in the suit, which are precisely defined on the
class-action suit website (chantaldesjardins.com) and who experienced
symptoms of exposure to sulphur trioxide is automatically a member of the
suit. The claimants are
demanding $5,000 per victim for “bodily insecurity, trouble, nuisance and
inconvenience”, plus another $5,000 for exemplary and punitive damages.
Those who suffered asthma attacks are claiming an additional $5,000.
Gagnon said those claims are exaggerated and the company “will
vigorously contest them”. “There
are 180,000 people so far demanding at least $5,000 each, which is an
astronomical sum. We think the claims are exaggerated and that very few
people were actually affected, and not very seriously.”
He noted the company was not fined by Environment Canada after its
investigation, and has taken measures to improve its equipment to prevent
another leak. It has also cooperated with other industries in Salaberry de
Valleyfield to improve emergency response procedures in case of another
industrial accident in the community.
“Accidents will happen but what matters is how you react to them. We
understand that this could have been much worse if the winds had been moving
more toward the residential areas nearer to the plant, but we learned from
it.” Zinc électrolytique du
Canada Ltéé, (also called CEZinc.) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Xstrata
Canada Corporation. The Noranda Income Fund acquired the assets of the
company in 2002 and operates it as an income trust. Xstrata holds 25 per
cent of the units of the fund, manages the company and provides the zinc
concentrate for the operations.
March 20,
2012 September 28, 2009 - The Noranda Income Fund (TSX:NIF.UN) expects to return sulphuric acid processing in Valleyfield, Que., to full capacity by the beginning of October but says investors will have to wait longer to get regular monthly payouts. Noranda had taken about 20 per cent of the capacity at its Valleyfield zinc smelter off line last winter after a slowdown in the global economy had created a glut in sulphuric acid produced at the same plant as a byproduct. The acid is used in a variety of industrial and mining processes. The fund says it has been notified by Xstrata Canada, its sales agent for sulphuric acid, that market conditions have improved enough to restore the idled smelter capacity. But Noranda says it won't restore suspended monthly distributions at this time because it still faces low margins for zinc and sulphuric acid, a high Canadian dollar and a debt level that may have put it in breach of its agreements. Noranda stopped paying monthly distributions to ordinary unitholders in February and suspended the cash payouts to priority unitholders in July.
May 20, 2009 - The Noranda Income Fund (the "Fund") (TSX:NIF.UN)
announced today its monthly distribution for the month of May 2009 of $0.04
per unit. The distribution will be payable on June 25, 2009 to Priority
Unitholders of record at the close of business on May 31, 2009. In
February, the Fund had received notice from its sales agent, Xstrata Canada
Corporation that it was unable to arrange for sales and/or temporary storage
for sulphuric acid in quantities equal to the normal rate of production due
to weak demand. As a result, since the beginning of March, production of
sulphuric acid and zinc has been reduced by approximately 20% from 2008
levels. This reduced production level will continue for the month of June.
The reduction in production will negatively impact the Fund's profitability
and cash flow. The Fund is unable to predict with any certainty the expected
duration of weak demand for sulphuric acid. February 23, 2009 - DBRS has
today noted Noranda Income Fund’s recent announcement that March 2009
production of zinc will be reduced by approximately 20% in response to the
continuing inability to find sales and/or additional storage for byproduct
sulphuric acid in sufficient quantities to allow full production. DBRS
believes that the production curtailment should be of short duration and has
maintained the STA-3 (high) rating of Noranda Income Fund (the Fund) and the
BBB (high) rating of the Senior Secured Notes of its wholly-owned Noranda
Operating Trust (the Trust) Under Review with Negative Implications. |
MTPD - Metric Tonne per Day
STPD - Short Ton per Day
MTPA - Metric Tonne per Annum STPA - Short Ton per
Annum
SA - Single Absorption
DA - Double Absorption
* Coordinates can be used to
locate plant on Google Earth