OUTOKUMPU TO MODERNIZE THE ODDA ZINC PLA
OUTOKUMPU OYJ PRESS RELEASE January 15, 2003 at 12.00 (noon)
OUTOKUMPU TO MODERNIZE THE ODDA ZINC PLANT Outokumpu will modernize the production process of its Odda Zinc Plant in Norway. The older roasting plant will be replaced by the direct leaching process developed by Outokumpu. The investment amounting to approx. EUR 88 million will be spread over 2003 and 2004, and is part of the Groups capex programme as annouced in the Q3/2002 report. Work at the Odda Zinc Plant will start immediately and the project will be completed in the autumn of 2004. The construction phase will not cause any significant production losses. The Odda plant is already at present among the most cost efficient quartile of zinc plants in the world. The direct leaching process of zinc concentrates developed by Outokumpu will further improve the cost efficiency of the production. The new direct leaching process will, among other things, enable the use of a wider quality range of zinc concentrates and will lay the foundation for the utilization of modern, cost efficient technology also in a possible future expansion of production. The direct leaching process has been in use at Outokumpus Kokkola zinc plant since 1998. The modernization will increase the concentrate feed capacity of the Odda plant by about 10%. The project will secure the Odda plant as one of the worlds most environmentally sound zinc plants. The present annual production capacity of Odda is 150 000 tonnes of zinc and that of Kokkola 260 000 tonnes. For further information please contact: Harri Natunen, Senior Vice President Zinc Business Unit tel. +358 6 828 6111 Stein A Ytterdahl, General Manager - Outokumpu Norzink tel. +47 53 64 92 01, mobile +47 95 75 24 17 OUTOKUMPU OYJ Corporate Management Eero Mustala Senior Vice President - Corporate Communications tel.+358 9 421 2435, fax +358 9 421 2429 e-mail: eero.mustala@outokumpu.com home page: http://www.outokumpu.com