Nyrstar seeks government funding for antimony production
MELBOURNE - Nyrstar, owned by global commodity trader Trafigura, could potentially produce the critical mineral antimony at its South Australian processing plant but would need government support to do so, CEO of Nyrstar Australia Matt Howell said.
New supply of the strategic metal crucial to the production of ammunition, night-vision goggles, and infrared sensors is in high demand after China, the world's biggest antimony producer, imposed export controls last year.
As part of a strategic review of Nyrstar's Australian operations Trafigura is undertaking, Nyrstar found it would be able to produce up to 5,000 tonnes of antimony metal or antimony trioxide a year at its multi-metals processing plant in Port Pirie by adding an additional processing stage after lead smelting, the company said.
"We have the capability to produce a range of critical minerals including antimony to help meet global demand," Nyrstar Australia CEO Howell said.
"However, it will require significant investments and support to address the unsustainable market pressures that Australian smelters are facing," he said in a statement to Reuters on May 5.
Howell did not specify how much government funding would be necessary to support output at the Port Pirie site or when it could begin producing antimony metal.
Australia's smelters are struggling with high domestic power costs and an oversupply of processing capacity in China that has squeezed the fees they can charge to process material.
The Australian government is offering billions of dollars in funding to support critical mineral processing.
"Antimony is defined as a critical mineral by the Australian Government, which provides a pathway to access substantial government support," a South Australian government spokesperson said. He added that complex refineries were key to the state's economy.
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
Feedback
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Projects
Latest News
Showroom
As a reticulator, Egoli Gas provides natural gas to homes and businesses via underground pipes.
VISIT SHOWROOM
AirNox (Pty) Ltd is a level 1 BBBEE manufacturer of complete AdBlue® solutions for operators of SCR diesel engines and AUS40 across South Africa...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
