Today, the world's most climate-efficient zinc smelter is inaugurated. In recent years, Boliden has made extensive investments with the aim of nearly doubling zinc production at Boliden Odda in Norway. The inauguration is a key milestone as it is Boliden's largest investment to be completed and one of Norway's largest industrial investments on the mainland ever.
100 years ago, zinc production began in Odda, supported by the development of hydropower in the region. Now a new era is beginning as the largest development step ever in the business begins. In addition to a large amount of infrastructure being built, primarily for logistics and energy, a new roasting furnace and a new sulfuric acid plant, as well as a new cellhouse, have been built. Furthermore, the leaching and cleaning plant and the foundry have been expanded and modernized.
- This is a historic day from several perspectives. We will almost double the production of the world's most climate-efficient zinc. This is zinc that will primarily be used as rust protection in a variety of European applications and thereby be part of a responsible climate transition of our common continent. At the same time, this is a flagship for Norwegian industry to be proud of for another hundred years, says Mikael Staffas, President and CEO of Boliden.
The investments will result in a production capacity equivalent to 350 ktonnes, compared to the previous 200 ktonnes. In addition, additional metals will be extracted from the raw material, which will result in less waste. Through the increase in production, Boliden Odda will establish itself as Europe's second largest and the world's most productive zinc smelter. The plant will produce 1,000 tonnes of cast zinc per full-time employee (FTE) each year.
Zinc is the world's fourth most widely used metal. The main area of application is to protect steel structures against corrosion. The construction sector, together with the automotive industry, is therefore the largest users of zinc. In addition, the energy sector is a growing consumer of zinc, as wind turbines, for example, are often located in environments exposed to corrosion. Other areas of application include fertilizer, as a large amount of agricultural land globally is zinc deficient. The addition of zinc thus contributes to higher food production.
For further information, please contact:
Klas Nilsson
Director Group Communications
+46 70 453 65 88