Smelter problems for Falconbridge

Production problems were recently experienced by Falconbridge at the company’s Sudbury smelter.

The nickel producer, owned 50-50 by Noranda Inc. and Trelleborg AB, said the smelter’s number one furnace lost power through an electrical hardware failure May 15.

Partial power was re-established the next day and Falconbridge said a few days later the smelter was running at 40% of its current capacity. The number two furnace was shut down because of an unrelated electrode failure.

The smelter was expected to have returned to full production shortly after presstime. Falconbridge said mine production continued and ore was stockpiled. Lost production should be made up by September, the company said.