Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade Minister, Tom Kenyon last night attended a public meeting in Port Pirie to discuss legislation before State Parliament providing Nyrstar with regulatory certainty for the company’s proposed $350-million smelter transformation.
The smelter, which already supports more than 800 full-time jobs in the region, is proposing an upgrade that will transform the 120-year smelter into a state-of-the-art facility, significantly cutting emissions.
“Tonight’s meeting – organised by the Member for Frome, Geoff Brock – provides an opportunity for the people of Port Pirie to hear about the legislation’s content and intention from the government and industry experts, “ Mr Kenyon said.
The meeting was also going to be attended by Nyrstar’s General Manager, Port Pirie, Glenn Poynter, the Acting Chief Executive of the Department of Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy, Paul Heithersay and the Director, Public Health, SA Health, Kevin Buckett.
Mr Kenyon believes that providing regulatory certainty was a cornerstone of the landmark agreement reached last December between the Commonwealth Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC), the State Government and Nyrstar.
“This will assist the company to obtain investor support for the proposed transformation project to upgrade the company’s smelter to a cleaner state-of-the-art poly-metallic processing and recovery facility,” Mr Kenyon said.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the South Australian government will contribute $5 million to a study on a proposed $350 million upgrade of the Nyrstar smelter in Port Pirie, north of Adelaide.
“The feasibility study – expected to be completed by the end of this year – will provide the technical information required by Nyrstar to evaluate a final investment case.”
“We’ll continue to work closely with the company and the Federal Government towards putting together a final transformation package that can be signed off by the Nyrstar Board in early 2014.”
