Smelter work gathers pace

The $500 million redevelopment of the Nyrstar smelting plant at Port Pirie in South Australia has reached a major milestone with the arrival of a new furnace.

State Development Minister Tom Koutsantonis says construction workers on the site will grow from about 100 to 400 in the coming months as the project gathers pace.

This furnace is a critical part of the redevelopment of the smelter at Port Pirie, Mr Koutsantonis said.

Nyrstar remains confident that all the work is on schedule with the redeveloped plant to be commissioned in the second half of 2016.

THE NYRSTAR SMELTER REDEVELOPMENT WILL USE:

* 11,000 cubic metres of concrete.

* 5,500 tonnes of structural steel.

* 50,000 metres of piping.

* 170,000 metres of wiring and cabling.

* 500,000 site man hours.