Xstrata Copper - Horne Smelter

Acid Plant Database April 8, 2026

Owner	Glencore
Location	Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec Canada
Background	Formerly - Noranda Inc. - Falconbridge Limited - Xstrata Copper www.xstrata.com
Website	www.glencore.com www.glencorerecycling.com
Plant	Horne Smelter
Coordinates	48º 15' 6" N, 79º 1' 10" W
Type of Plant	Metallurgical
Gas Source	Copper, Electronic Scrap Noranda Process Reactor, Converter
Hot Gas Cleaning	-
Wet Gas Cleaning	Quench Venturi (Low Pressure Drop) - Retention Tower - Venturi (Variable Throat) - Cyclonic Separator - Primary Condenser - Primary WESP - Secondary Condenser - Secondary WESP - Hg Removal
Plant Capacity	2050 MTPD
SA/DA	3 SA Provisions made in the plant design for future retrofit to double absorption
Status	Operating
Year Built	1989
Technology	Chemetics
Contractor	Chemetics
Remarks	NOx Candle drainings collected and treated in a NOx stripper. NOx discharged to acid plant stack. Decolourization Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) added to product acid
Pictures
General	-
References	-
News	March 31, 2026 - Commodities giant Glencore is in talks with Canadian federal and Québec provincial authorities over a potential deal to keep the Horne smelter operating after stricter emissions rules put a key piece of North America’s copper supply chain at risk. Canada’s only copper smelter, located in Rouyn-Noranda, has been at the center of negotiations since Glencore suspended upgrade plans last month, citing uncertainty over new arsenic limits. The company warned the plant could be wound down without changes to the regulatory framework. Québec has proposed legislative amendments that would delay tougher emissions standards. The revisions would push a new arsenic cap of 15 nanograms per cubic meter to 2029 and maintain that level until at least 2033. The limit is one-third of current permitted levels, but five times over the province’s benchmark safety standard. At the same time, Ottawa is considering a request for about US$108 million in financial support to help fund pollution control upgrades, according to people familiar with the matter. “While awaiting regulatory certainty, we are open to evaluating other mechanisms, particularly financial ones, for sharing risks,” Glencore said in an email to Bloomberg. Only a small number of smelters operate across the US and Mexico. Horne processes about 215,000 metric tons of copper concentrate and scrap annually, representing roughly 16 percent of North America’s smelting capacity. The facility also supplies Glencore’s Canadian copper refinery in Montreal. The company has said about 3,200 direct and indirect jobs could be affected if the smelter closes. It produces copper, as well as by-products including gold, silver, platinum, palladium and sulfuric acid, and processes about 100,000 tons of electronic scrap each year. Glencore has spent about US$130 million on emissions reduction measures, including acquiring more than 50 homes to create a buffer zone around the site. A total of 82 properties are slated for demolition. The negotiations come as the facility faces ongoing scrutiny over emissions. Medical data has shown higher rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Rouyn-Noranda compared with provincial averages, and a class action lawsuit tied to emissions was authorized last year. Public health officials have warned that delaying stricter emissions targets could prolong exposure risks, particularly for nearby residents. Meanwhile, Québec officials have defended the proposed timeline changes, arguing they are necessary to enable investment while maintaining compliance. Louis Potvin, spokesperson for Québec's Ministry of Environment, maintained that the amendment would allow the Horne smelter to proceed with required upgrades and meet its permit conditions, including the 15 nanograms per cubic meter arsenic limit. “The ministry took into account the position of the national public health authority, which deemed the postponement acceptable last October, and the City of Rouyn(-Noranda) also supported this postponement,” Potvin told CBC News. The outcome of the talks will determine whether the company proceeds with its investment or begins winding down operations at one of the region’s few remaining copper-smelting facilities. January 15, 2009 - Horne Smelter management announces that it is reducing its workforce and capital expenditures to strengthen its viability in current market conditions. The decision comes after careful evaluation of the impact on the Horne operations of the closure of Fabie Bay Mine, a custom milling client, and a reduction in the volume of recycled feed. In total, 55 permanent operational positions associated with milling ore from Fabie Bay Mine and the recycling operation will be made redundant. In addition, the announcement will impact approximately 30 consultants and other contractors. The challenging operating environment requires the Horne Smelter to scale back capital expenditures in 2009. However, investments related to important environmental improvement projects will continue, including the CDN$5 million project to install a secondary hood to capture fugitive emissions and reduce arsenic concentrations in the ambient air in the Notre-Dame neighbourhood. “The smelting business has recently faced a challenging operating environment and it is important that we respond rapidly to this downturn in the market and make the necessary adjustments,” said Claude Bélanger, General Manager of the Horne Smelter. “The Horne Smelter is a stand-alone custom smelting facility that operates in a very competitive environment. Full asset utilization and cost management are essential for Horne’s long-term viability.” said Mr. Bélanger. “We will give our people the support they need to minimize the impacts of these measures on them as much as possible. A number will be transferred to other jobs in the smelter,” added Mr. Bélanger.

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


Sulphuric Acid on the Web^TM	Technical Manual	DKL Engineering, Inc.