Risdon Zinc Works

Risdon Zinc Works
Nyrstar Hobart
FormerlyElectrolytic Zinc Company[1]
Industryzinc smelting
Founded16 November 1916 (107 years ago) (1916-11-16)[2]
OwnerNyrstar[3]
Number of employees
600 (2017)[4]
Websitenyrstarhobart.com

Risdon Zinc Works (trading as Nyrstar Hobart) is a major zinc refinery located in Lutana, a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. The smelter is one of the world's largest in terms of production volume,[5] producing over 280,000 tonnes (280,000 long tons; 310,000 short tons)[6] annually of high-grade zinc, primarily as die-cast alloys and continuous galvanising-grade alloys. These products are exported for global markets and utilised in a wide range of industries and products, from building and infrastructure to transportation, business equipment, communications, electronics, and consumer goods.[7] The facility produces zinc using the Roast, Leach, Electrowinning (RLE) method,[6] creating leach byproducts, including cadmium, gypsum, copper sulphate, lead sulphate, sulphuric acid, paragoethite and leach concentrate.[6][8] The refinery has been owned and operated by the global multi-metals business Nyrstar since 2007.[3] Nyrstar Hobart works closely with the Nyrstar Port Pirie multi-metals smelter in South Australia. The facility is Tasmania's largest exporter, contributing 25% of the state's overall export value in 2013.[9]

  1. ^ Philip, Heyward (23 November 2013). "Nyrstar zinc works throws open its doors to curious public and reveals how things have changed". The Mercury (Hobart). Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Electrolytic Zinc Works". The Examiner (Tasmania). Vol. LXXXVII, no. 274. Tasmania, Australia. 19 November 1929. p. 7 (DAILY). Retrieved 21 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ a b "Nyrstar Hobart". sulphuric-acid.com. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  4. ^ Clark, Nick (16 July 2017). "Nyrstar employee rushed to hospital with severe burns in suspected explosion". The Mercury (Hobart). Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Nyrstar to build new electrolysis plant in Australia". austrade.gov.au. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  6. ^ a b c "Nyrstar Hobart Triennial Public Environment Report 2018 – 2020" (PDF). Environment Protection Authority Tasmania. 28 April 2021. p. 6. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  7. ^ "NYRSTAR HOBART TRIENNIAL PUBLIC ENVIRONMENT REPORT 2018 – 2020" (PDF). Environment Protection Authority Tasmania. 28 April 2021. p. 5. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  8. ^ "Titan, WebsterBSC help lift the heavy weights for Nyrstar Hobart". australianmining.com.au. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  9. ^ Heyward, Phillip (23 November 2013). "Nyrstar zinc works throws open its doors to curious public and reveals how things have changed". The Mercury (Hobart). Retrieved 21 December 2022.