Overview

• The three governments have approved A$135 million to sustain Nyrstar’s Port Pirie lead smelter and Hobart zinc smelter in the face of monthly losses of tens of millions of dollars.
• Funding is contingent on fast-tracking an antimony pilot plant at Port Pirie and feasibility studies to diversify into bismuth, germanium, indium production.
• Canberra will contribute A$57.5 million, South Australia A$55 million and Tasmania A$22.5 million to the support package.
• The forthcoming national metals processing strategy is set to propose long-term loans and equity injections to modernise Australia’s smelting capacity.
• Nyrstar’s smelters support about 1,400 direct jobs and 6,600 indirect positions, making their survival critical to regional economies and supply chains.