Overview
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 Budel is a highly energy efficient smelter and operates a state of the art water treatment plant which supports keeping its environmental footprint to a minimum.
The Zinc Mark
In September 2024, Nyrstar Budel achieved The Zinc Mark, meeting best in class requirements for responsible production practices.
The Zinc Mark is achieved through The Copper Mark assurance framework and aims to promote responsible production practices along the value chains of the covered minerals. To receive The Zinc Mark, operations are assessed and independently verified against 32 responsible production criteria including greenhouse gas emissions, community health and safety, respect for Indigenous rights and business integrity and confirmed to meet the required performance threshold. More information about The Zinc Mark verification can be found here.
Nyrstar’s Zinc Mark award for its Budel operations can be found here
Quick Facts
Technology: roast, leach, electrolysis (RLE) smelting and a unique biological waste-water treatment plant
Products: special high grade (SHG) zinc, zinc alloys and sulphuric acid
Employees: ~485Nyrstar Budel holds certificates for:
Location
The Budel zinc smelter at Budel-Dorplein in the south-east of the Netherlands is close to our customers in the major industrial centers in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and northern France.
History
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 â ''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 here: <a href="https://www.historiekzm.nl.
