Balen/Overpelt Smelter
Belgium
Fast Facts
Location
— Balen and Overpelt, Belgium
Technology
— roast, leach, electrolysis (RLE)
smelting, oxide washing
Products
— special high grade (SHG) zinc,
zinc alloys and sulphuric acid
Employees
— 569
Production 2013
— 252,000 tonnes zinc metal
— 309,000 tonnes sulphuric acid
Operation at a glance
The Balen smelter is located in the north-east of Belgium, and is a large-scale smelter.
The Overpelt plant is situated only 18 kilometers from Balen, consisting of one of Europe’s largest
oxide washing facilities, as well as significant alloying and casting facilities.
PRODUCTION
PROCESS
AT LANGLOIS
PRODUCTION
PROCESS
AT BALEN/OVERPELT
Input
Concentrate
+ Oxides
OVERVIEW
The Balen smelter is a large-scale zinc smelter with production capacity
of approximately 252,000 tonnes of zinc metal per year, making Balen
one of the world’s largest zinc smelters in terms of production volume.
Electricity
Process
Roasting
Leaching
Purification
Electrolysis
Casting
Gas Cleaning
Goethite
Process
Sulphuric Acid Plant Water Treatment
Output
Sulphuric
Acid
Water
Goethiite
Lead/Silver,
Balen Leach
Product (BLP)
Copper Cobalt
Cake
Zinc & Alloys
The Balen and Overpelt sites are only 18 kilometres apart. The sites’
operations are complementary and highly integrated. All the cathodes
produced at Balen are transported to the centralised melting and
casting facilities in Overpelt. In addition, the Overpelt site includes
one of Europe’s largest oxide washing facilities that serves as a central
washing facility for the pre-treatment of purchased secondaries prior
to their consumption by the European Nyrstar smelters. A new melting
furnace and a completely automated casting line were installed and
commissioned in Overpelt in June 2010 increasing SHG capacity.
The Balen smelter produces zinc from feedstock of both zinc
concentrates and recycled zinc secondary feed materials. Balen’s
zinc concentrates are sourced from suppliers world-wide. The Balen
smelter can process a high percentage of secondary feed material
input without adversely affecting overall plant productivity, efficiency
or residue output. Concentrates are transported by train from the
port of Antwerp, a main thoroughfare harbour for zinc concentrates.
Secondary zinc feed materials are delivered to the plant by truck.
The Balen and Overpelt operations produce SHG zinc and a range of
high value alloy products such as ZAMAK die casting alloy. Balen also
produces sulphuric acid, copper cement and Balen Leach Product that
contains lead and precious metals and is sold as a raw material to
secondary smelters.
2013
Balen/Overpelt, and the world of Nyrstar
Balen/Overpelt, Belgium
AMSTERDAM
THE NETHERLANDS
Rotterdam
Antwerp
12
Budel
Balen/Overpelt
BRUSSELS
Lille
Auby
BELGIUM
FRANCE
Indicates neighbouring Nyrstar site
THE WORLD OF NYRSTAR
Nyrstar Balen/Overpelt is part of Nyrstar, an integrated mining and
metals business with market leading positions in zinc and lead,
and growing positions in other base and precious metals; Essential
resources that are fuelling the rapid urbanisation and industrialisation
of our changing world. Nyrstar has mining, smelting, and other
operations located in Europe, the Americas, China and Australia and
employs around 7,000 people. Nyrstar is incorporated in Belgium
and has its corporate office in Switzerland. Nyrstar is listed on NYSE
Euronext Brussels under the symbol NYR.
Nyrstar is committed to providing a safe environment for our
employees, minimising our smelters’ and mines’ impact on the
environment and contributing to the communities in which we operate.
HISTORY
In 1888, the Balen site began production of calcine (roasted zinc
ore) under the brand ‘Vieille Montagne’, followed by their first zinc
production only two years later.
In 1899, the roasting capacity doubled and a sulphuric acid plant was
added. Between 1910 and 1976, the site operated as an integrated
zinc-lead smelter organically growing to one of the largest roasting
facilities in the world nine years later. For the last eight decades, the
zinc smelter has used an electrolysis process to produce its zinc.
The site chronologically operated under the name Vielle Montagne,
Acec-Union Minière, Union Minière and Umicore - until Nyrstar was
born in 2007. Since 1976, the main focus of the plant remains the
production of zinc, zinc alloys and sulphuric acid.
Contact Information
Nyrstar Belgium
Zinkstraat 1
2490 Balen
Belgium
T +32 14 44 95 00
F +32 14 81 73 12
www.nyrstarbalenoverpelt.be
For more information please visit www.nyrstar.com
or email communications@nyrstar.com. Learn about
career opportunities at nyrstar.com/careers
nyrstar.com
© Nyrstar - January 2014