Brazilian mining giant Vale has announced the closure of its Stobie nickel mine in Ontario, Canada. The mine was under care and maintenance since 2017.
The mine, which is part of Vale’s Sudbury operations, has been functional for the past 120 years, having produced over 375mn mt of nickel ore over its life. Stobie was one of the most productive mines in North America, owing to its massive mineral resources. However, with both metal prices falling and ore grade from the mine depleting, Vale decided in 2017, to gradually begin bringing the mine to the end of its life.
According to media reports on Oct 13, plans have been laid out to demolish the headframes of the three mine shafts and its associated buildings like the crusher plant and processing mill, beginning mid-October. These operations will be concluded by mid-December. The closure is expected to affect 230 employees at the mine.