Votorantim Metais to Expand Metallic Zinc Production in Brazil

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Votorantim Metais S.A. (Brazil, Sao Paulo) is advancing two brownfield projects in Minas Gerais in order to expand its metallic zinc production capacity in the next few years. The company will invest $230 million to expand mining operations and upgrade the zinc concentrator in its Vazante unit to increase zinc production from the current 152,000 tons per year to 200,000 tons per year. GRD Minproc Engenharia e Consultoria Limitada (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) is completing the basic engineering study. Detailed engineering and construction work are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2008, and the project is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2012, given the complexities of excavation at the mine site.

About $247 million will be invested in the Tres Marias zinc hydrometallurgical plant to increase capacity from the current 180,000 tons per year to 260,000 tons per year. CEI Engenharia (Belo Horizonte) is providing engineering services. Votorantim will select an engineering, procurement and construction management firm in September 2008, and construction will start soon after that. This project is expected to be complete by the fourth quarter of 2010.

These investments aim to strengthen the company's position as one of the world's largest zinc producers. Votorantim Metais, which began its activities in the zinc market in 1956, is also the biggest electrolytic nickel producer in Latin America and the third biggest Brazilian long steel producer.

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