Falco shutting Kidd copper smelter for two weeks

Falconbridge (FL-T) will close its Kidd Creek smelter for two weeks at the end of March as a result of lower copper production and prices.

Production at the Kidd Creek operation, which consists of three base metal mines near Timmins, Ont., was scaled back last November following the movement of a wedge in the east pit wall of the No. 1 mine.

The company was forced to devise a new mining plan that downgraded production levels for 1997 to 94,000 tonnes of zinc concentrate and 77,000 tonnes of copper concentrate, from 102,100 tonnes and 86,200 tonnes, respectively, in 1996. As a result of this decreased production, the smelter at Kidd has not been running at its full capacity of 125,000 tonnes of blister copper per year.

Low copper prices were also a factor in the decision to suspend operations at the smelter, which will be shut down for 14 days starting March 29.

Production at the copper refinery will be suspended for 10 days; the zinc plant at Kidd Creek remains unaffected.

Falconbridge expects to produce 70,000 tonnes of copper concentrate and 101,000 tonnes of zinc concentrate in 1998.

Redevelopment of the upper part of the Kidd Creek mine is scheduled for completion by the middle of the year. The company continues work on development of deeper levels.

March 22-25 Iron & Steel Society — “81st Steelmaking & 57th Ironmaking Conference.” Toronto, Ont. Contact ISS in Pennsylvania. Tel: (412) 776-1535.

Fax: (412) 776-0430.

March 22-27 NACE Int’l — “Corosion ’98 Annual Conference & Exposition.” San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, Calif. Contact Valeri Seper. Tel: (281) 228-6223. Web Page: http://www.nace.org

March 23-26 Society of Manufacturing Engineers — “Westec ’98 Exposition & Conference: 35th Annual Metalworking & Manufacturing Exposition.” Los Angeles, Calif. Contact Society of Manufacturing Engineers in Michigan. Tel: (313) 271-1500. Fax: (313) 271-2861.

March 25-27 Mineral Economics & Management Society — “7th Annual MEMS Professional Program & Meeting.” Double Tree Hotel, Arlington, Va. Contact Ronald J. Riberich. Tel: (423) 632-8872. Fax: (423) 632-6137. E-mail: rjriberich@tva.gov

March 27 The Northern Miner — “Mining Explained Seminar Series.” Robson Square Conference Centre, Vancouver, B.C. Contact Lisa Rizzardo. Tel: (416) 442-2142. Toll free:

1-800-650-1666. Fax: (416) 442-2233. E-mail: lrizzardo@southam.ca March 29-31 Metal Bulletin — “11th Int’l Copper Conference.” Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel & Towers, Mexico City. Contact Metal Bulletin in New York. Tel: (212) 213-6202. Fax: (212) 213-1870.

March 30-April 4 American Society for Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing&Resource Technology Institute — “ASPRS-RTI Annual Conference.” Tampa Convention Center, Tampa, Fla. Tel: (301) 493-0290. Fax: (301) 493-0208.

March 30-April 2 European Commission & the Economic Community of West African States — 1st European Union – West & Central African Mining Forum (MINES ’98).” Accra, Ghana. Contact Gamah Int’l in Toronto. Tel: (416) 232-9114. Fax: (416) 232-9120. Web site: http://www.mines98.com March 31-April 2 Environmental Quality Management — “Environmental Innovation in the Metals Industry for the 21st Century.” Pittsburg, Pa.

Contact Bill Kemner in Cincinnati, Ohio. Fax: (513) 825-7495. E-mail: bkemner@ eqm.com

March 31-April 5 American Copper Council — “Copper College ’98.” Sheraton El Conquistador Resort, Tuscan, Ariz. Contact Mary Boland in New York. Tel: (212) 945-4990. Fax: (212) 945-4992.

April 3 The Northern Miner — “Mining Explained Seminar Series.” Corporate Seminar Centre, Toronto, Ont. Contact Lisa Rizzardo. Tel: (416) 442-2142.

Toll free: 1-800-650-1666. Fax: (416) 442-2233. E-mail: lrizzardo@ southam.ca April 6-7 McGill University (Deparment of Mining & Metallurgical Engineering) — “Professional Development Seminars: Pit Optimization Using the Whittle Software.” McGill University, Montreal, Que. Contact Norma Procyshyn. Tel: (514) 398-4383. Fax: (514) 398-7099. E-mail: norma@minmet.lan. mcgill.ca

April 7-8 Calgary Mineral Exploration Group — “7th Annual Calgary Mining Forum.” Calgary Convention Centre, Calgary, Alta. Contact Val Pratico. Tel: (403) 251-9887. Fax: (403) 263-9888. E-mail: vpratico@istar.ca April 8-9 Calgary Mineral Exploration Group — “7th Annual Calgary Mining Forum.” Calgary Convention Centre, Calgary, Alta. Contact Hugh Abercombie.

Tel: (403) 262-1838. Fax: (403) 263-9888. E-mail: abercrombie@ birchmountain.com

May 8 The Northern Miner — “Mining Explained Seminar Series.” Hotel Inter-Continental, Montreal, Que. Contact Lisa Rizzardo. Tel: (416) 442-2142. Toll free: 1-800-650-1666. Fax: (416) 442-2233. E-mail: lrizzardo@ southam.ca