Joint media release with the Premier of South Australia, Peter Malinauskas, and the Premier of Tasmania, Jeremy Rockliff

The Albanese Government will invest $57.5 million to protect jobs in Australian smelters as part of a $135 million package with South Australian and Tasmanian Governments investing $55 million and $22.5 million respectively.   

Investment will support transformation of the Port Pirie and Hobart smelters owned by Nyrstar into modern facilities capable of producing critical minerals. 

The combined support package, coupled with investment from the company, will enable Nyrstar to maintain its operations while progressing detailed engineering plans to potentially rebuild and modernise both smelters and, at the same time, fast track feasibility studies into world-leading critical metals production. 

Through the studies, Nyrstar proposes to explore the potential production of essential critical minerals, including antimony and bismuth at Port Pirie and germanium and indium at Hobart. 

These critical minerals are considered vital for sectors including defence, clean energy, transport, advanced manufacturing and high-tech applications. 

An immediate focus of the package is to deploy an Antimony Pilot Plant in Port Pirie, which if successful would make Port Pirie the only producer of antimony metal in Australia and one of the few producers globally. 

Antimony is an alloy hardener for other metals in ammunition and is critical to the manufacture of semi-conductors found in electronics and defence applications and is used in flame retardant materials. 

The support provided to Nyrstar will also be targeted toward asset integrity projects including a planned Major Maintenance Project at Port Pirie and Major Furnace and Wharf Investments at Hobart.  

As Australia’s only lead refiner and the largest zinc refiner in the country Nyrstar contributes around A$1.7 billion to Australia’s economy each year and employs 1,400 Australians directly, while supporting 6,647 indirect jobs. 

The Major Maintenance Project in Port Pirie will require more than 350 contractors and more than 90 suppliers, and the Major Furnace and Wharf Investments in Hobart will involve around 200 contractors and suppliers. 

Quotes attributable to Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science Tim Ayres 

“The Commonwealth, South Australian and Tasmanian Governments are together investing $135 million to transform Nyrstar’s Port Pirie and Hobart smelters.

“Nyrstar and its parent company Trafigura will co-invest in these facilities and lead feasibility, fast-track pilot projects and facility upgrades to secure their future operations.

“Nyrstar contributes A$1.7 billion to the Australian economy annually, directly employing 1,400 Australians and supporting over 6,600 indirect jobs. 

“Through this transformation, Nyrstar aims to explore possible production of antimony, bismuth, tellurium, germanium and indium, minerals vital to clean energy, defence, and high-tech sectors. 

“An Antimony Pilot Plant will be deployed in Port Pirie as a priority.

“If pilot studies are successful this would position Port Pirie as Australia’s only producer of antimony metal and one of the few globally, supporting sovereign capability in defence and advanced manufacturing.

“Sustainable and competitive smelting capabilities in Australia that can deliver critical minerals projects are part of the Albanese Labor Government’s Future Made in Australia agenda.” 

Quotes attributable to Premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas 

“We have an opportunity to transform the Port Pirie smelter and secure its future for the long term. 

“Working with Nyrstar and the Commonwealth, we can modernise the Port Pirie smelter and take advantage of the world’s desire for critical minerals. 

“There is no doubt the Port Pirie operations have faced challenges from global forces largely beyond its control.  

“But the transformation of the smelter into a producer of critical minerals like antimony would put our state at the forefront of a global supply chain that is vital to clean energy, defence, and high-tech manufacturing.” 

Quotes attributable to Premier of Tasmania Jeremy Rockliff 

"We will help secure the future of Nyrstar’s Hobart operations, backing Tasmanian workers and their families and saving more than 500 local jobs at one of our State's most significant employers. 

"The Hobart site is a key part of our national critical minerals supply chain, and this facility is both vital for Australia's sovereign capability and Tasmania's economy. 

"We’ve worked closely with Nyrstar, Trafigura, the Commonwealth Government and South Australian Government over recent months to secure a path forward, and today we’re delivering."