There hasn't been a firm date announced, but we now know when Hudbay plans to shut down much of its Flin Flon operations - the end of May for the zinc plant, mid-June for the mill and 777 mine.
The company confirmed those dates in a statement to The Reminder earlier this week, putting, for the first time, a definite timetable for when Flin Flon’s biggest employer will finish winding down operations.
“The closure date for the zinc plant is scheduled for the end of May. Operations at the 777 mine and Flin Flon mill will cease in mid-June,” said a company spokesperson in a statement to The Reminder.
The company also confirmed what status four main sectors of its Flin Flon compound will have post-closure. The Flin Flon zinc plant will be shut down permanently, not put on “care and maintenance” according to a company spokesperson, as will 777.
However, the mill will be “placed on temporary closure” and the company’s on-site fabrication shops, concentrate handling facility and some of its Flin Flon administration buildings will stay open and operational. The tailings facility at the compound will be put on "care and maintenance".
Job losses
While the company employed about 875 people in its Flin Flon operations as of last year, Hudbay claims the number of workers who will be laid off once operations in Flin Flon close will be lower than expected. With dozens of workers transferring to Snow Lake and others who are retiring from their current positions, the company expects about 275 people in total will be laid off once the lights are shut off - with discussions on who stays and who goes being worked out between the company and union locals.
“Discussions are underway between Hudbay and all our unions, as outlined by our commitments in our collective bargaining agreements and Memorandum of Understanding, which are being conducted in sequence of the ratification,” said the spokesperson.
“Approximately 275 Hudbay employees will be impacted as we transition our primary operation from Flin Flon to Snow Lake. Any employees affected by a loss of role will be provided 16 weeks notice as per the Canada Labour Code.”
The company says that some workers who may be affected by moves from Flin Flon to Snow Lake (what Hudbay calls “impacted employees”) have been asked whether or not they would prefer working in the company’s Snow Lake operations, whether they’d prefer to retire (if eligible) or whether they’d prefer to be laid off. Some workers have already made the jump from working in Flin Flon to the company’s Snow Lake sites.
“Impacted employees are currently being canvassed for their preferences regarding potential future roles at our Snow Lake operations and some personnel have already moved,” said the spokesperson.
Snow Lake
Meanwhile, Hudbay continues to ramp up production in Snow Lake, going up to 5,300 tonnes per day of production as workers and equipment start trickling east.
“This expansion includes extension of surface facilities, additional mobile equipment and an increase in employee numbers at Snow Lake, all of which are important to achieving increased throughput, so that the capacities at both our Stall mill and New Britannia mill are fully utilized,” said the spokesperson.
