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Vale Base Metals (VBM) said on Wednesday it is moving forward with the dismantling of the copperstack and superstack at the Copper Cliff smelter complex in Sudbury, Ontario.
In 2010, VBM unveiled a multi-billion-dollar investment program to enhance and expand its Canadian operations, of which C$1 billion was dedicated to modernizing the company’s Sudbury operations, culminating in the Clean AER project.
The dismantling of the copperstack and superstack marks the final chapter of the initiative, VBM said, adding that the structures have been decommissioned.
The Clean AER project has enabled VBM’s Sudbury operations to eliminate 100,000 metric tonnes of sulfur dioxide emissions each year (equivalent to 1,000 railway tanker cars of sulphuric acid), bringing emissions down to 30% below the provincial standard. The superstack has been inactive since 2020.
The dismantling of these two assets will be spread over multiple years and will be done according to strict safety protocols. Minimizing disruptions to the neighbouring community will also be a priority, the company said.
The copperstack will be taken down first, and it is expected to be completed by 2025. Work to dismantle the superstack is expected to follow and take about five years.
“The superstack and copperstack have been iconic landmarks in Greater Sudbury for decades,” Gord Gilpin, director of Ontario operations for VBM, said in a news release.
“While we appreciate that the city’s landscape will look different after these structures are dismantled, our business has evolved and improved over time and this project is part of that evolution. We are modernizing our facilities and reducing our environmental footprint,” he said.
VBM is seeking input from the community on three proposals, which aim to ensure that the superstack continues to resonate within the community.
Learn more and vote for a proposal here.
