Peñoles zinc plant expansion is scheduled to begin in January, according to Rafael Rebollar, director of chemical metals at Met Mex Peñoles. He said the investment of more than $350 million will be provided for the clean energy that is generated in the wind farm that the company has in General Cepeda, Coahuila.
“It looks like a very promising 2019, because we are already in process of starting the zinc plant and this has us very motivated to make this a year of record production of Peñoles and here at the Torreón plant,” he said.
He also pointed out that some operation tests were already carried out and some minor details have been completed. This month, they will be formally starting the operations to start the expansion in the facilities in order to meet the budget and deadlines set for the expansion project. Rebollar said the project generated 234 new jobs.
Currently, Peñoles produces around 140,000 tons of zinc per year and, with the expansion, it will grow to 260,000 tons per year. About 80,000 tons of zinc will go to the United States market and the will be shipped to Europe.
As for the power required for the new plant, it will be “green energy” supplied by a wind farm, whose installed capacity reaches 200 megawatts (MW). Every year, the wind farm produces around 90 MW, and the new zinc plant expansion will consume between 70 MW and 80 MW.
