Boliden, a Swedish mining group, has halted all production at its Ronnskar copper smelter in northern Sweden due to a significant fire. The fire has caused the cell house of the facility to burn down, and the extent of the damage is still being assessed. While the company expects production to resume within a few weeks, the exact timeline remains uncertain.
No injuries have been reported as a result of the fire. The Ronnskar plant receives copper and lead concentrates from Boliden’s mines and external suppliers and also functions as an electronics recycling facility. In 2022, the plant produced 218,000 metric tons of copper, along with silver and gold.
The financial impact of the fire is unknown at this stage. The plant recorded an operating profit of 1.26 billion Swedish kronor ($116.5 million) in 2022. Boliden will need to conduct further evaluations and take appropriate measures to restore operations and determine the full extent of the damage caused by the fire.
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