Cementos Melon suspends opening of grinding unit, Chile
The inauguration of Cementos Melon’s new grinding works is being suspended due to conflict in the town of Puchuncavi following an environmental complaint against copper producer División Ventanas de Codelco.
Melon’s new grinding facility, located in the same sector as Codelco, is expected to producer over 600,000tpa which, the company says, represents a new and important milestone in its 103 year history.
The inauguration ceremony was scheduled to take place on Wednesday 13 April 2011 but has been suspended out of “respect” for the local community.
The Ventanas smelter, which produced nearly 385,000 tonnes of copper cathodes in 2009, was halted for programmed maintenance in early March, but belched smoke when one of the ovens was restarted, prompting a complaint by nearby residents and the evacuation of a local school. Published under Cement News
