Nyrstar’s zinc smelting operations achieve The Zinc Mark
Thursday September 19, 2024Budel-Dorplein, 19 September, 2024 – Nyrstar today announced its Balen (Belgium), Budel (The Netherlands), Clarksville (USA) and Hobart (Australia) zinc smelting operations have achieved The Zinc Mark, meeting best in class requirements for responsible production practices.
“Zinc and the critical and strategic byproducts we generate at our electrified zinc smelters in Australia, Europe and the US are essential for the green transition, high tech and regional security,” said Guido Janssen, Nyrstar CEO. “The Zinc Mark award for our zinc smelting operations is a testament to the care our local teams take forenvironment, health, safety and the well-being of our local communities, demonstrating Nyrstar’s robust ESG policies and practices.”
Nyrstar Balen, Budel and Hobart are the first sites to receive The Zinc Mark in Belgium, The Netherlands and Australia.
Michèle Brülhart, Executive Director of The Copper Mark, said: “Congratulations to Nyrstar for achieving The Zinc Mark at four smelting sites. This is a reflection of the growing need for responsible practices to be implemented along the value chain of zinc. Including Nyrstar’s smelters, there are now 12 sites worldwide that have achieved The Zinc Mark.”
“With zinc being essential for a low carbon future and the energy transition, we are excited about Nyrstar receiving The Zinc Mark award for their zinc smelting operations, ”said Andrew Green, International Zinc Association Executive Director. “The Zinc Mark is a globally recognized, independently verified assurance framework for responsible sourcing, so having four new sites receiving this certification is excellent news for the global zinc industry as a whole, and a great achievement by Nyrstar, for which we congratulate them.”
The Zinc Mark is achieved through The Copper Mark assurance framework and aims to promote responsible production practices along the value chains of the 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.
More information about The Zinc Mark verification can be found here. Nyrstar’s Zinc Mark awards for its Balen, Budel, Clarksville and Hobart operations can be found here.
ENDS
About Nyrstar:
Nyrstar is an international producer of critical minerals and metals essential for a low carbon future. With a market leading position in zinc and lead, Nyrstar has mining, smelting and other operations located in Europe, the U.S. and Australia and employs approximately 4,000 people. Its Corporate Office is based in Budel-Dorplein, the Netherlands.
The company’s operations are located close to key customers and major transport hubs to facilitate reliable and efficient delivery of raw materials and distribution of finished products. Nyrstar’s operating business is wholly owned by Trafigura, one of the world’s leading independent commodity trading and supply chain logistics companies. Visit www.nyrstar.com.
About The Zinc Mark:
The Zinc Mark is an award granted by the Copper Mark organization, which is the leading independent assurance framework that promotes responsible practices in the copper, molybdenum, nickel and zinc industries, focusing on environmental protection, social responsibility, and corporate governance.
Through its assurance process, The Copper Mark empowers companies to demonstrate their commitment to responsible practices and accountability. The Copper Mark explicitly targets the entire value chain. Producers in mining, smelting/refining and manufacturing can apply for the Copper Mark, the Molybdenum Mark, the Nickel Mark and/or the Zinc Mark by meeting the responsible production and sourcing criteria as defined in the Risk Assessment (RRA) Criteria Guide jointly issued by The Copper Mark and the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI). In total, this covers 33 different criteria, independently assessed on site by third parties.
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