The Budel zinc smelter is situated at Budel-Dorplein in the southeast of The Netherlands near the Belgian border and close to the majority of Nyrstar’s customers in the major industrial centres of The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and northern France.
Nyrstar’s Budel smelter produces zinc and zinc alloys. The advantage of the Budel smelter is its very high zinc recovery rate as a result of circuit design and feedstocks.
Budel’s feedstock from Nyrstar primarily consists of high grade sulphide concentrates, zinc oxides and other secondary feeds.
Budel’s two key products are SHG and zinc galvanizing alloys. In addition, the site produces cadmium, copper and cobalt cake, sulphuric acid and Budel Leach Product that contains lead and precious metals and is used as a raw material by secondary smelters.
Nyrstar’s fumer in Hoyanger partly treats this material to extract valuable materials for Nyrstar. Nyrstar Budel is a highly energy intensive smelter. For example, the site operates a state of the art water treatment plant which supports keeping its environmental footprint to a minimum.
Nyrstar Budel is part of Nyrstar, a global multi-metals business, with a market leading position in zinc and lead and growing positions in other base and precious metals, such as copper, gold and silver. Nyrstar has six smelters, one fumer and four mining operations, located in Europe, Australia and North America, and employs approximately 4,100 people. Nyrstar’s global operations are located close to key customers and major transport hubs to facilitate delivery of raw materials and distribution of finished products.
The Company is incorporated in Belgium and has its corporate office in Zurich, Switzerland. Nyrstar is listed on Euronext Brussels under the symbol NYR.
Over 125 years ago, in 1892, the Budel zinc factory was founded by the Dor brothers. The community in which Nyrstar Budel operates is still called ‘Budel-Dorplein’ to this day.
Until 1973, a thermal process heating calcine and coal in horizontal retort, was used for zinc production. In January 1974, a new plant on site was commissioned to allow for a more efficient and cleaner electrolytic zinc production process.
The zinc plant chronologically operated under the name Kempensche Zinkmaatchappij (KZM), Budelco, Pasminco and Zinifex - until Nyrstar was founded in 2007.
Further historical facts and anecdotes are available at: www.historiekzm.nl.
