Long Harbour Nickel Processing Plant
| Long Harbour Nickel Processing Plant | |
|---|---|
  Location of the Long Harbour Nickel Processing Plant in Newfoundland and Labrador. | |
| General information | |
| Type | nickel processing plant |
| Location | Long Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador |
| Country | Canada |
| Coordinates | 47°25′27″N 53°49′0″W / 47.42417°N 53.81667°W |
| Construction started | April 2009 |
| Completed | Fall 2013 (Phase One Construction) |
| Cost | 4.75 billion CAD |
| Owner | Vale Limited |
The Long Harbour Nickel Processing Plant is a Canadian nickel concentrate processing facility located in Long Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Operated by Vale Limited, construction on the plant started in April 2009 and is expected to be completed by fall 2013 at a cost in excess of CAD $4.25 billion.[1] Construction involved over 3,200 workers generating approximately 3,000 person-years of employment. Operation of the plant will require approximately 475 workers.[2]
Using the metal processing technology known as hydrometallurgy, the plant is designed to produce 50,000 t (49,000 long tons; 55,000 short tons) per year of finished nickel product, together with associated cobalt and copper products. The hydrometallurgy technology was piloted at a demonstration plant that opened in Argentia, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2004. This demonstration plant operated until 2008 and was instrumental in helping Vale decide to use the hydrometallurgy process for the Long Harbour processing plant.
A processing plant on the island of Newfoundland was one of the requirements established by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in order to exploit the nickel deposit at the Voisey's Bay Mine in Labrador. The bulk carrier MV Umiak I was one of several ice-strengthened bulk carriers built to transport nickel concentrate from Voisey's Bay to the Long Harbour Nickel Processing Plant.
The Long Harbour Nikel Processing Plant was built on a partially brownfield site near the port of Long Harbour. The facility consists of a wharf for offloading nickel ore concentrate from bulk carriers, crushing and grinding facilities, a main processing plant approximately 2 km (1.2 mi) south of the port, a pipeline to supply process water, an effluent discharge pipe and diffuser, and a residue pipeline to a nearby disposal area. The hydrometallurgical process in the plant will pressure-leach the nickel ore concentrate in acidic solutions to separate iron, sulfur and other impurities from nickel, copper and cobalt.[3]
References
- ↑ "Long Harbour production should start in 2013". CBC. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
- ↑ "Long Harbour Nickel Processing Plant - Long Harbour, Newfoundland". Kiewet Corporation. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
- ↑ "Vale Long Harbour Nickel Processing Plant - EPCM". Fluor Corporation. Retrieved 15 August 2013.