Sudbury

Overview

Located in Sudbury, Canada, Sudbury operations are primarily underground nickel sulfide mines with integrated mining, milling, smelting and refining operations.

Nickel concentrate from Voisey’s Bay also passes through Sudbury’s smelting and refining stages.

From the smelter in Sudbury, nickel oxide, an intermediate product, is shipped to local Vale refinery in Sudbury in addition to refineries in the United Kingdom, Taiwan, China and South Korea.

Vale Sudbury operation also produces the by-products of copper, cobalt, platinum group metals, gold and silver.

Subury operation in Ontario, consists of following producing mines: 

• - Copper Cliff North, 
• - Copper Cliff South, 
• - Creighton, 
• - Stobie, 
• - Garson, 
• - Coleman, 
• - Gertrude, 
• - Ellen, 
• - Totten 

Location

Ontario, Canada
Nearest Landmark: SUDBURY
Latitude: 46° 29' (North)
Longitude: 81° 3' (West)

Geology and Mineralization

 N.A.

Mining & Operation

Nickel-Copper mining at Sudbury Operations started by Vale Inco (previously Inco) in 1885. The projected exhaustion date as of December 2008 is 2042.

At Sudbury, Vale produces two intermediate copper products, copper concentrate and copper anodes, and also produce electrowon copper cathode as a by-product of our nickel refining operations. Vale Inco has long-term copper supply agreements with Xstrata Copper Canada for the sale of copper anodes and copper concentrates produced in Sudbury. Electrowon copper from Sudbury is sold in North America under short-term sales agreements.

Processing

N.A. 

Environment & Community

Vale has a long history of corporate leadership and support of the Sudbury area. Vale supports a cross-section of programs in health care, education, social services and the arts, helping to make Sudbury a better place to live. Vale also makes major financial contributions that support Sudbury's goal of achieving economic diversity.

For Vale's operating plants, there are established limits on the discharges of substances that may cause environmental impacts in the natural environment. For reclamation and closure projects, there are guidelines for air, water and soil, as well as restoration that need to be met.

Vale has made significant investments to improve its environmental performance in Sudbury.