About 400 workers are affected by the decision of Gaspe Copper Mines to suspend mining operations completely at its Murdochville, Que., mine, the site of two fires in April.
Low copper prices are cited as part of the reason for the suspension of operations, as is the estimated $34.5-million mine refurbishing cost ($11.5 million in equipment and $23 million in lost sales).
To remain open at the site is the smelting operation, which employs about 300 people. Copper concentrate from other Canadian sources and from offshore will be used to feed the smelter.
The mine had been scheduled to close in 1992. It is the only industry in the small Gaspe Peninsula town. Michel Lefebvre, vice-president operations of Noranda Inc., parent company of the mining operation, was reported as saying that government aid was not considered sufficient to keep the copper mine running in light of the marginal nature of the operation. One miner died and 56 others were trapped underground, some for more than 24 hours, when a fire April 1 destroyed 6,000 ft of a conveyor system. Two weeks later an ore truck caught fire underground; there were no injuries in the second incident.
Be the first to comment on "Copper mine won’t reopen, Noranda says"