(MERAF) for the Base Metals Smelting Sector - CCME

• Recommendations to address information gaps and improve data
where uncertainties exist.
While reading this report, it is important to keep in mind the main assumptions
that support the facts and figures presented. It is assumed that:
• the current facility capacities will remain unchanged;
• no new facilities will be opened between now and 2015;
• no existing facilities will be closed between now and 2015;
• no new major players will join or leave the market between now and
2015.
These assumptions may not reveal to be right 13 years from now. Hence, the
possibility of new facilities at Voisey’s Bay or somewhere else does exist;
however, this possibility is not considered for the purpose of this report because
of inherent uncertainties and because such new facilities would likely have very
low emissions and contribute a small fraction of the sector’s releases.
Also, on March 28, 2002, Noranda Inc. announced that, effective April 30, 2002,
it permanently closed its Gaspé copper smelter, located in Murdochville.
Noranda had previously announced on November 30, 2001, that it would
temporarily close the smelter a six month period.
Finally, it should be noted that the industry is in a period of global consolidation.
S.2 Industry Profile
The Canadian base metals smelting and refining sector is composed of primary
producers of copper, lead, nickel, zinc and cobalt,.
With the recent permanent closure of the Noranda copper smelter in
Murdochville, there are now twelve (12) base metals metallurgical complexes in
Canada which are located in British Columbia (1), Alberta (1), Manitoba (2),
Ontario (4), Québec (3) and New Brunswick (1). They are operated by Teck-
Cominco Ltd., Sherritt International Corporation, Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting
Co. Ltd., Inco Limited, Falconbridge Ltd., and Noranda Inc.
Except for one, they are all members of the Mining Association of Canada
(MAC).
Economic data shows that:
• In 2000, the mining and mineral processing industries contributed
$27.97 billion to the Canadian economy, an amount equal to 3.5% of
the national Gross Domestic Product
• In 2000, the mining and mineral processing industries directly employed
401,000 Canadians. Although there is no statistic on the number of
employees directly engaged in base metals smelting and refining, the
number can be estimated at about 10,000 persons.
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