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Vale Inco heats up smelter furnace

Vale Inco, and the management team, are out of their minds if they really think of starting the furance for smelting. The training of people takes at least 6 months to 2 years to...

Posted by: Bobbie-Jo

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Nov 30, 2009

By: Sudbury Northern Life Staff

Vale Inco has turned the heat on in one of the furnaces in the Copper Cliff Smelter to cure brick work done during the maintenance shutdown at the company earlier this year.

“That's a condition that had to be addressed before the cold weather came,” said Vale Inco spokesperson Steve Ball.
Ball said it's “just like a big oven that we're heating up, but obviously with very high temperatures.”

Steelworkers officials have repeatedly voiced concerns about the safety of starting up production at the smelter while more than 3,000 members of Steelworker Local 6500 are on strike. Local 6500 members normally run the smelter.

The company has not begun processing ore at the smelter, although it has announced its intention to do so eventually using Vale Inco workers who aren't currently on strike.

“We'll start (production at the smelter) when we're ready,” Ball said.

 

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9 Comments

  • Bobbie-Jo 12/15/2009 2:31:08 PM - Report Abuse

    Vale Inco, and the management team, are out of their minds if they really think of starting the furance for smelting. The training of people takes at least 6 months to 2 years to work in the furnance dept. All Vale is going to do, is cause more …more» damages, then they already have, and may cause damages to this community!!«less

  • drifter 12/5/2009 9:36:05 AM - Report Abuse

    Add the Drive Test Employees to the list including Goldcorp, CIBC and Vale Inco etc etc where the USW of America seem to have their own agenda or idea of what the members should have......an agenda which results in extended unwinnable strikes.

  • drive test employee ontario 12/5/2009 5:29:34 AM - Report Abuse

    I am a USW member usw9511 we have been on strike for the last 3 months, the last offer we got from the company was great and it is posted on usw9511.ca website go check it we went on strike asking to get secured part time hrs and that managers don't …more» do our jobs if it will cause a lay off for one of our members and we asked that when the company wana lay off people to start laying off by the last senior employee, anyhow the company agreed on all of these demands and the usw still rejected the offer I really have no idea why they say the majority voted no :s when me and lots of my co-workers voted yes anyhow we are crossing the picket lines because the drive test centers are resuming services without us and we need our jobs I really think you guys should get back to work the USW is having a major problem with strikes lasting for more than 6 months ON and it is still on going something has to be done ti is my opinion«less

  • drifter 12/4/2009 2:41:06 PM - Report Abuse

    A licenced smelter in central Canada is probably the best asset Vale Inco Sudbury has.
    Clarabelle needs big tonnes like Frood Stobie to run the nickel side and FS may not be economical.

    If the Vale Inco Sudbury mines are running in 2 years I'm …more» betting it will be contractors running them.
    However, looking at the nickel market and the laterite mines coming on, a major increase in nickel consumption would be required to run the Sudbury mines like they were a year ago.

    Need a terms of reference? Look at Xstrata's west end mines. There's still nickel underground there.
    There's still uranium underground in Elliot Lake.
    But, if you can't mine it at a profit, its not ore.«less

  • citizen 12/4/2009 8:24:34 AM - Report Abuse

    Let me know when Vale has had enough and pulls the plug on Sudbury operations. Don't forget, they did not want to purchase Sudbury but it was part of the deal. Maybe when the over 1000 Staffers get their walking papers reality will sink in.

    It …more» might be shocking to some but the world doesn't revolve around mining!«less

  • Informed 12/1/2009 9:29:02 AM - Report Abuse

    Well said sean10 & LM!!!

  • sean10 11/30/2009 11:56:57 PM - Report Abuse

    At least the innocent non striking workers have the jobs once smelter begin to process the ores, it just not fair for non strike working to lose the jobs.
    I like to remind the union that general public are not stupid when you say you were treated …more» unfair by Vale, please do not carry the maple leaf flag and act like a national hero to serve your own agenda. Shameon you and your family!!!!!!!! Idiots«less

  • 2010 11/30/2009 10:16:22 PM - Report Abuse

    Who care about furnace warm up the fun will start when they start processing ore.

  • LM 11/30/2009 5:42:45 PM - Report Abuse

    I think everyone is sick of hearing about Vale and USW. Let us know when they get at the table.