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Acid Plant Database October 27, 2011
Owner | Zincor | |
Location | Plover
Street, Struisbult, Springs Gauteng, South Africa |
|
Background |
1967 - Gold Fields decides to convert the closed Vogelstruisbult uranium
plant into an electrolytic zinc plant. Iscor, Vogelstruisbult Metal Holdings
and Gold Fields formed a joint venture and in April 1968 the first zinc
ingot was cast and then sulphuric acid was produced in December the same
year. |
|
Website | www.exxaro.com | |
Plant | - | |
Coordinates* | 26° 18' 49" S, 28° 28' 45" E | |
Type of Plant | Metallurgical | |
Gas Source |
Zinc |
|
Plant Capacity | 170,000 MTPA | |
SA/DA | - | |
Status | Operating | |
Year Built | 1968 | |
Technology | - | |
Contractor | - | |
Remarks | - | |
Pictures | ||
General | Zincor, a division of Kumba Base Metals, is an electrolytic zinc plant located about 50 kilometres east of Johannesburg in Springs. The company was established in 1967 by Gold Fields of South Africa. At the beginning of 1999, Iscor Ltd, who held a 35% minority interest in Zincor purchased the 65% remaining interest held by Gold Fields in Zincor. Zincor was developed on the site of the old Vogelstruisbult Gold Mine in Springs and cast its first ingot of zinc in April 1969. Since then production has risen to more than 110 000 t/a to ensure a reliable supply of metal to service the full tonnage requirements of the local market. Zincor today has a modern custom smelter, purchases zinc concentrates at international terms from mines in Southern Africa and abroad and sells the majority of its refined zinc metal into the local Southern African market and some in overseas markets. Raw material and metal prices are determined in accordance with the settlement prices for zinc, as established each trading day on the London Metal Exchange. Zincor produces four grades of zinc metal, namely SHG (99.995%), Zn1(99.99%), Zn2(99.95%) and Zn4 (98.5%) to cater for the varying needs of local zinc consumers. The ability to produce high quality SHG grade metal has also enabled Zincor to compete in the international market with the export of tonnages surplus to local consumption. Zincor maintains its role as one of South Africa's major sources of sulphuric acid. Substantial tonnages of sulphuric acid are generated as a primary by-product of the zinc process . The high purity acid, at 98% strength, is sold to local consumers at competitive, market-related rates. Sales are made ex-stock, thus ensuring a reliable and timeous supply of products to customers. Daily despatches of sulphuric acid and zinc are made from Zincor's road and rail sidings in Springs. Zincor's customers range from industrial giants competing in world markets to small family businesses, all playing an important role in the economy of the country. Strategically positioned as the only primary zinc refinery in South Africa, Zincor plays an essential role in the production and distribution of high quality zinc metal and acid. Meticulously pursuing its quest for quality, Zincor continues to service the changing requirements of modern industry and in order to maintain its position as a reliable supplier of competitively priced zinc and acid within Southern Africa. | |
References | - | |
News |
October 24,
2011 - In December, the price of zinc and sulphuric acid will
forever change as the country’s only zinc refinery, Zincor, closes down.
At the same time, hundreds of Springs residents will ponder their
economic future as their retrenchment packages pay out.
The ripple effects of Exxaro’s decision – both positive and negative
– to close down the refinery is already spreading in manufacturing circles
as 48 of Ekan Base Minerals employees were retrenched last week.
The firm manufactures aluminium sulphate, which is used in water
purification. More importantly however, it is the only producer in
Sub-Saharan Africa. CEO Pieter
Nel explains that the factory, located right next to Zincor and fed directly
via a pipeline, was bought a mere six years ago. The increase in sulphuric
acid transportation costs from different suppliers means that costs had to
be cut elsewhere: the staff compliment.
Nel first heard about the refinery’s closure in the media. He has
been trying in vain for months to secure additional funding to save his
employees’ jobs. The last resort was retrenching.
However, not all industry players are equally perturbed by Exxaro’s
move, including galvanisers. Bob Wilmot from the Hot Dip Galvanizers’
Association Southern Africa, says that the local industry was “totally
beholden to Zincor”. This is
because a local supply made importing difficult and expensive. Now, the
market is expected to open up as multiple traders take up the slack. In the
short term, he says, the zinc price is expected to increase as the new
market finds its feet. Thereafter, prices should decrease as competition
increases, but imported zinc will still be more expensive in the long run.
Willie Engelbrecht, Spangle Galvanisers director, says while there
will be price increases, all galvanisers are in the same boat. He says they
have been aware of the impending Zincor closure for some time and are
already talking to traders to secure a zinc supply.
Exxaro has been trying to sell the Zincor refinery for almost two
years. The zinc price has been relatively stable for a number of years and
higher local input costs eat into margins. Moneyweb previously
reported that electricity prices were expected to account for 50% of the
absolute business’ cost (excluding materials) by 2012. According to Exxaro
Finance Director Wim de Klerk, electricity accounted for R50m of a total
R600m cost in 2006 but that number would increase to R350m of a total R700m
absolute cost. In addition, the
plant has been in operation for a long time and it was commissioned as a
zinc refinery in 1968. Previously, the site belonged to Gold Fields.
In a media release, CEO Sipho Nkosi, said that the zinc-making
operation “has proved to be un-saleable to potential investors; continued
zinc-making is financially unsustainable with Zincor incurring mounting
financial losses; and turn-around and improvement interventions have proved
fruitless and are unlikely to get Zincor on to a sustainable financial
performance level”. Media reports also state that about a third of the 796
employees will be retrenched.
Duncan Hobbs, a senior analyst at advisory firm Macquarie, is of the opinion
that the possibility of a new zinc refinery being built in
October 10, 2011
- The end that
black-controlled JSE-listed Exxaro Resources will put to local zinc refining
by December 31 is “clearly unfortunate”, says International Zinc Association
of Southern
Exxaro executive
Trevor Arran estimates to
Mining Weekly Online that a third of the refinery’s 796 employees may
not be able to be placed in alternative employment elsewhere within the
diversified Exxaro mining group.
At current prices, it may make business sense to reclaim the gold, zinc,
silver, lead, copper and cobalt on site at Zincor, a former gold and uranium
plant. “It’s actually a massive
slimes dam,”
White says that the
LSE-listed Vedanta, which bought the Gamsberg zinc operation from Anglo
American, may decide to build a state-of-the-art 400 000 t/y zinc refinery
in
The Scorpion zinc refined in
Nambia does not come into the South African market in terms of an agreement
that the exports will be outside of the Southern African Development
Community. But there is a
possibility for a concession and there are currently discussions with the
Nambian government to allow a certain amount of zinc metal to be sold in the
South African market. “That
should occur sooner rather than later,” White says.
Located 50 km east of September 9, 2009 -
Safety managers were assessing the aftermath of a blast at Exxaro's Zincorp
plant in Springs on Thursday morning, which killed three people, the company
said.
The
blast at the electrolyte zinc refinery, which produces zinc and sulphuric
acid, left at least five people injured, according to emergency services on
the scene. "Preliminary
information shows that an explosion occurred in the plant," a statement from
the company said. "The scene of
the accident has been immediately secured and Exxaro operations and safety
management are assessing the situation."
The company extended condolences to family, colleagues and friends of the
deceased. Earlier, Ekurhuleni
emergency services spokesperson Roggers Mamaila said they received a request
for help, initially for a fire, and when they arrived they found there had
been an explosion that they were told was related to Argon gas.
Netcare 911 spokesperson Nick Dollman said they were told people had been
attending their morning meeting when a sudden blast occurred and some people
were thrown outside the building.
Three people died on the scene as a result of shrapnel and the force of the
blast, he said. There was no
fire. |
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