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Acid Plant Database August 24, 2010
| Owner |
Nyrstar NV |
|
| Location |
Zinkstraat 1
B-2490 – Balen
Belgium |
| Background |
Formerly
- Ste Vieille Montagne
- Umicore formed as a result of the merger between Metallurgie Hoboken-Overpelt, SGM and
Vieille Montagne
2007 - Nystar today announced that as of 31 August 2007 it had taken
ownership of the zinc and lead smelting and alloying assests of Umicore and Zinifex,
thereby formally launching the company and creating the world’s largest zinc
producer. |
| Website |
www.nyrstar.com |
| Plant |
- |
No. 4
Roaster |
| Coordinates* |
51º
12' 4" N, 5º 13' 60" E (Site) |
| Type of Plant |
Metallurgical |
Metallurgical |
| Gas Source |
Zinc
Lurgi Roaster |
Zinc
Lurgi Roaster |
| Plant Capacity |
770 MTPD |
- |
| SA/DA |
3/1 DA |
SA |
| Emissions |
- |
SO2:
< 600 ppm with ZnO scrubber |
| Status |
Operating |
- |
| Year Built |
- |
- |
| Technology |
Chemetics |
- |
| Contractor |
Chemetics |
- |
| Remarks |
- |
2002 - ZnO
tailgas scrubber using Dynawave technology. Byproduct ZnSO4 sent to
leaching plant. Cost €1.8
million |
| Pictures |
  |
| General |
The Balen smelter is
located on a 244 hectare site in the northeast of Belgium near the city of Mol,
approximately 80 kilometres east of Antwerp.
Since 1910 the plant has gradually moved to integrated zinc-lead smelting. The main
production process has changed over time from electrolyte zinc production (1930s), to
fluidised bed roasting (1950s and 1960s) and to the treatment of residues by an iron
removal process (goethite) around 1973. In 1985, Balen began using what was then the
largest roasting facility in the world.
The Western regional office is based at the Balen plant and covers Europe, the Middle
East, Africa and the Americas.
The Balen office is also the Nyrstar's registered address. |
| References |
Geenan,
C., Aït Maamar, R. and Eusèbe, C., “Main Developments in Umicore Zinc Smelting”,
Lead & Zinc ’05, Proceedings of the International Symposium on Lead and Zinc
Processing, Kyoto, Japan, October 17-19, 2005, Volume – I, pp. 247-263. |
| News |
2008-11-26
- Nyrstar NV today informed its Belgian works councils that it will temporarily suspend
production and initiate a care and maintenance program at its Balen smelter due to adverse
economic circumstances. The program, which will take place before year end, is
necessary to address the significant and sudden decline in customer demand and reduce the
accumulation of surplus zinc stocks in the market. The suspension will also minimise
losses at the plant which have been caused by the prevailing low zinc price, falling 58%
from its 2008 peak, combined with Balen's high energy and production costs. Balen
currently has the highest labour cost across the Nyrstar Group and its energy cost has
increased by more than 50% in the last 12 months.
The suspension is anticipated to continue until mid 2009, but will be reviewed over the
coming months. This equates to a reduction of approximately 25,000 tonnes of
zinc in 2008 and a further 130,000 tonnes in the first half of 2009.
Nyrstar has previously announced that it is reducing production at its Budel plant by 28%
for the remainder of 2008, and this reduced level of production will now be maintained
through mid 2009. For Budel, this equates to a reduction of approximately
10,000 tonnes of zinc in 2008 and a further 35,000 tonnes in the first half of 2009.
The care and maintenance program at Balen will help to ensure the plant is maintained in a
ready condition, enabling it to return to production when economic conditions improve. The
adjoining site at Overpelt will continue to operate at a reduced five-day week, producing
die-cast alloys and providing washed zinc oxides for the Group. |
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
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