Show us some Industry-type pics!

[BlueAbyss]

Flin Flon is one of Canada's largest producers of base metal, mostly zinc and copper, at Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting (HBMS). The smoke is from the copper smelter (where they produce blister copper), which is slated to be shut down as of 2012.

Unfortunately, the smelter is one of Canada's worst polluters, number 4 overall in the list of top polluters. Also one of the last copper smelters in Canada, with the others being in Sudbury, ON, and Trail, BC... though I think the one in Trail is closed now.

A small blister copper ingot produced locally...


Besides the smelter, HBMS also runs a zinc pressure leaching plant and produces pharmaceutical grade zinc products... 99.9% pure zinc produced by electroplating. This portion of the operation will likely survive the closure of the smelter, since they are operated independently.

A small high grade zinc ingot...