PERTH (miningweekly.com) - Belgium-based mining and metals group Nyrstar’s Australian arm has announced a $23-million investment into a product recycling facility at its Port Pirie integrated multi-metals recovery plant, in South Australia.

The product recycling facility is expected to significantly reduce lead-in-air concentrations measured in the local community, and will build on a range of plant and process improvements that Nyrstar has made in recent years to address the different factors contributing to lead-in-air concentrations.

The South Australian government is expected to contribute A$7-million to the 6 850 m² facility, with construction to begin early in 2022.

Nyrstar VP for Australian operations Dale Webb said on Friday that the construction of the new facility would enable a major improvement in site operations and was expected to reduce the concentration of lead-in-air in the community by up to 25%, compared with monitoring levels recorded in December 2020.

“Our process for storing, mixing and transporting minerals around the site will be improved fundamentally and will work together with other improvements already in place to deliver a sustained reduction in lead-in-air in our local community.

“The investment that Nyrstar is making will act to improve both the environmental and operational performance of our Port Pirie plant, and we welcome the state government’s support for this important project.”

The product recycling facility will be sealed and under negative air pressure, allowing intermediate materials used in the production process to be stored and mixed in an enclosed facility, thereby reducing the potential for losses of lead-bearing dust to the atmosphere of the plant.

The facility will be constructed adjacent to the existing processing plants, which has the added benefit of significantly reducing the handling and transport of materials in the open air.

Construction of the facility will be completed by the second half of 2024.