CleanAER_Vale

By Angela Gemmill

Mining giant Vale continues to progress on its billion dollar long-term environmental initiative to reduce atmospheric emissions in the air around Greater Sudbury.

According to Media Rep for the Ontario Operations, Angie Robson, the Clean AER (Atmospheric Emissions Reduction) Project is 55% complete.

They’re on track to finish in 2018.

Vale has already spent $625-million on the project, with two of three converters delivered to its Copper Cliff smelter.

The initiative will reduce the company’s sulphur dioxide emissions by 85%, and reduce both metal emissions and greenhouse gases by 40% respectively.

Robson says the changes mean Vale has to decide what to do with its iconic Superstack, which has become a landmark in Sudbury.

That’s because once the project is finished emissions will be re-distributed and converted into a sale-able product, instead of being sent into the atmosphere via the Superstack.

Robson says Vale is currently studying whether or not it makes sense to keep the giant chimney, but no decisions have been made on its fate.

She says they’re looking at building smaller stacks in Copper Cliff for their operations.