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BHP to suspend Australia manganese alloy smelter

February 23, 2012 - 03:12 GMT Location: Shanghai

KEYWORDS: BHP , manganese alloy , manganese ore

BHP Billiton may permanently shut the Temco manganese alloy plant in Tasmania, Australia, after high costs and a stronger Australian dollar made the unit unprofitable.

Production will be suspended in early-to mid-March this year and a three-month review of the operation has begun, the company said. Temco produced 272,000 tonnes of manganese alloys last year. BHP owns a 60% stake in the company while Anglo American holds the remaining 40%. Markets in Europe and North America have been weak and global prices remain low, BHP Billiton’s manganese president Tom Schutte said in a statement....

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