STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Sept. 15, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Boliden (TSE:BLS) invests SEK 48 million in an evaporator for nickel sulphate at the Ronnskar copper smelter in Skelleftea. The production facility will double the smelter's nickel sulphate production capacity and enhance its flexibility in terms of processing raw materials containing nickel.
Nickel is an important by-product for Ronnskar, which produces approximately 2,000 tonnes of nickel sulphate per year. Nickel is found in copper concentrate as well as in secondary materials recycled at the smelter. Nickel sulphate has been produced since the fifties and is used as a raw material in the production of nickel, as well as in the chemical industry.
The new nickel facility will be part of the existing copper sulphate plant. The plant purifies a solution of chemicals from the electrolytic refinery to produce copper sulphate and nickel sulphate. Once the new plant is up and running in the autumn of 2006, nickel production capacity will double. The highly modern self-contained process also means that nickel emissions from Ronnskar will be halved.
The Ronnskar smelter produces metals and chemicals from mining raw materials and recycled material. Its main products are copper, lead, gold, silver and zinc clinker. Ronnskar is currently one of the world's largest facilities for recycling base metals.
Boliden is one of the world's leading mining and smelting companies with operating facilities in Sweden, Finland, Norway and Ireland. Boliden mainly produces copper, zinc and lead, as well as gold and silver. Other important operations include mineral exploration and metal recycling. The company has around 4,500 employees and net sales of almost SEK 18 billion. Its shares are listed on Stockholmsborsen's O-list and on the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada. www.boliden.com
This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net
The following files are available for download:
http://wpy.waymaker.net/client/waymaker1/WOLReleaseFile.aspx?id=130763&fn=wkr0001.pdf