Sulphur abatement plans continue at Inco’s Sudbury area operations

Despite the announcement by Inco (TSE) that it will be reducing employment levels at its Sudbury district operations through voluntary early retirement incentives, the company’s sulphur abatement program will not be affected.

This program is a government-mandated measure which will ensure that sulphur dioxide emissions will be reduced from 755,000 tons to 292,000 tons by 1994.

At a total cost of US$500 million, the program is being implemented in two phases. It is an unfortunate coincidence that the virtual completion of phase one has coincided with the company’s announcement regarding cutbacks. A major part of phase one was the rationalizing of milling facilities. All ore from Inco’s numerous mines is now being treated by the Clarabelle mill at Copper Cliff. All milling elsewhere has been permanently terminated. Clarabelle came on stream in January, 1991, and reached its rated capacity of 40,000 tons per day in September.

The mill handles incoming ore in two streams of equal tonnage. One stream is handled in a conventional circuit consisting of secondary and tertiary crushing followed by rod and ball milling. This equipment has been in operation for 20 years.

The other circuit is a new arrangement and comprises a 32-ft.-diameter SAG mill and two ball mills. The circuit is new but only the SAG mill is a new purchase.

Performance of the new circuits has exceeded expectations and on two occasions has reached 45,000 tons per day.

Other major segments of phase one, including a new flash furnace and integral oxygen plant, additional sulphuric acid facilities, concentrate driers and accessory equipment, have also been completed.

According to public affairs manager Jerry Rogers, up to 1,000 people were employed on these projects at the peak of construction. This workforce has diminished as contracts reached completion and only about 100 are expected to remain on site in the near term.

Inco, which recently announced a reduction of its 1991 nickel output, anticipates the early retirement incentive program will reduce the employment levels by 600 hourly and staff employees. The plan features one week of pay for each year of service to a maximum of 30 weeks. (The average age of Inco’s Sudbury employees is 45 years with an average of 25 years service.) Inco said that for hourly paid employees, the plan was developed after meeting with United Steelworkers of America, Local 6500, representatives, who support the program.

Some of the larger contracts put on hold are the shaft-sinking projects at East McCreedy.

Close to completion is the Thyssen/Aurora ventilation shaft at 4,094 ft.; the targeted depth is 4,632 ft. Of particular pride to Thyssen/Aurora is accomplishng 500 accident-free days on their project.

Recently started and down 582 ft. is the second ventilation shaft being sunk by MacIssac; the planned depth there is 3,800 ft.

Adjacent to the two shafts and an integral part of the complex is the Lower Coleman orebody. Work continues here with Inco crews and stoping is scheduled to begin in November.