NICKEL: Vale to close Stobie mine

ONTARIO – Brazilian miner Vale said late last week that it will put the Stobie nickel-copper mine near Sudbury on care and maintenance later this year. About 230 jobs will be affected. The company said low ore grades, soft metals prices, and recent seismic activity all played a part in the decision. The seismic activity prevented workers from mining below the 3000 level. “This is a necessary decision but a sad one,” Vale’s VP of Ontario operations Stuart Harshaw said. “Stobie has a rich history and has been integral to our success for more than a century. However, after more than 100 years of operation, the mine is approaching the end of its natural life. The low grades at Stobie are no longer economical to mine in today’s challenging price environment.” Beginning as an open pit and going underground in 1914, the Stobie mine produced 375 million tonnes of ore over its long life. And it is not the only mine in the Sudbury Basin to have enjoyed more than 100 years of production. Frood, Garson and Creighton share that distinction. For information on Vale’s other nickel operations, please visit www.Vale.com.