Latest News

Australia's Century zinc declares force majeure after fire

Australia's Century zinc operation has declared force majeure after a fire harmed its piping equipment.

The disturbance might add further pressure to an unmatched lack of mined zinc feedstock that has actually currently pressed many smelters to decrease output this year.

A fire broke out near Yard Hill, where Century is located, at the north of Mount Isa in Queensland recently, according to the federal government website.

The fire caused considerable loss of surface piping facilities, parent firm Sibanye Stillwater said on Friday. The Century operation will be stopped up until mid-November for replacement, according to the declaration.

Century's zinc buyers had been informed of postponed deliveries for about two months, two sources with knowledge of the matter stated.

A representative for Sibanye Stillwater also validated to Reuters by email a declaration of force majeure.

The occurrence is expected to cause a loss of 9,680 tonnes of zinc this quarter, it stated.

The business recovered zinc and lead from mined tailings of the closed Century zinc mine, once the world's third biggest.

It is now a mid-tier zinc manufacturer that produced 76,000 tonnes of zinc metal in 2015.

(source: Reuters)