HORNE SMELTER

Air quality

At Horne Smelter, we are committed to reducing our impact on the environment and the community. We strive to meet the applicable environmental standards and, every year, we take actions to help us achieve and exceed our objectives.

Our goals include optimizing our gas capture system, materials storage, and internal road maintenance to prevent wind from spreading the dust. To do this, we purchased a vacuum truck and apply dust suppressants as required. Concentrates are stored indoors as much as possible, which is why we have installed several domes at the site, in addition to constructing a concentrate storage building.

Our plan to reduce air emissions

2020 was a pivotal year for our environmental performance.

After implementing the last project for our second remediation certificate, we found a significant improvement in our air emissions, particularly arsenic.

Improvements in the anode furnace sector, optimization of the casting wheel hood, and the addition of a new duct to the dust collection system led to significantly lower arsenic emissions recorded at the statutory station during the year.

While these results are encouraging, we recognize that more work needs to be done, and that is why we continue to work with government authorities and all stakeholders to implement innovative, effective solutions to reduce our air emissions.

Progress on Action Plan projects - as at March 17, 2021

Project

Status

Timelines

Investment

Converter and anode upgrades (VELOX/PHENIX) In progress 2024 $170.7M
Increased indoor storage space for concentrates Under development 2022-2023* $1.5 M
Paving of roadways and concentrate unloading area Under development 2022-2024* $3.0M
Increased road cleaning capacity Completed 2020 $0,1M (recurring)
Improved dust collectors In progress 2024 $1.5M
Optimization of intermittent control system Completed 2020 Nil
Voluntary soil restoration project Completed 2020 ND
Transition area In progress 2024* $5.0M – $10.0M
Capture and treatment of roof vents in the converter and anode sector – Phase 2 Under development  2021-2022* $2.0M
Capture and treatment of selected reactor roof vents In progress 2023*

$5.0M

Update on air emissions reduction action plan
(in French only)
Consult the action plan
Air emissions reduction action plan
(in French only)
Consult the action plan

VELOX pilot project

The VELOX pilot project is the flagship project of our air emissions reduction plan. This pilot project involves an upgrade of our converters for the purpose of testing a new technology that does not yet exist in the copper industry. This technology has the potential to significantly reduce our air emissions.

If we can show the technical and economic feasibility of deploying the VELOX technology on a large scale, we may be able to implement the PHENIX project. This project would reduce the percentage of arsenic emissions at the statutory station by 10% to 15%. It would also reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with our process and increase our capacity to process recycled materials by about 15%.

VELOX pilot project

VELOX is a pilot project to upgrade our converters for the purpose of testing a new technology that does not yet exist in the copper industry.
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