HudBay Minerals is closing its smelter, leaving the plant without a copper source.
ONTONAGON COUNTY -- For the past 28 years, the White Pine Copper Refinery has been producing more than 76,000 tons of copper a year. But now the plant is in trouble. It may have to close in a few months. The plant's owner, HudBay Minerals, is closing its smelter in Manitoba, leaving the refinery without a copper source.
"Currently the refinery is for sale, which is a growing concern. What we have here in White Pine is a world class copper refinery that uses cutting edge technology, located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and it's got a great workforce and a great staff, and we would all like to obviously see it sold," explained Finance Manager Tim Lynott.
But until it sells, it's business as usual at the plant.
"Even with the smelter closure date approaching, we continue to produce high quality copper in a safe and effective manner which reflects well in all of our employees," stated human resources manager, Laurie Niemi.
The 61 employees at the refinery at trying to keep their morale up, but they're concerned.
"I'm concerned about the employees and where they'll go to find work and if they'll have to leave the area. We have a lot of employees with young children, and we're concerned about them, of course, and having to take our children and leave the area. It'll affect our schools, our hospitals; it'll affect everything here," Niemi explained.
The White Pine Copper Refinery has until July to find a buyer for the property. After that, the status is unknown, but employees are hopeful that it will remain open.
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