Vedanta Zinc International has announced that the sulphuric acid plant at the Skorpion Zinc Mine and Refinery will be recommissioned within the next four to six months.
The facility, which has been idle since the mine was placed on care and maintenance in 2020, will again capture sulphur dioxide gases produced in the zinc refining process and convert them into sulphuric acid. Once operational, the plant will supply about 1,000 tonnes of acid per day at 98 per cent concentration, suitable for industrial and metallurgical use.
Originally constructed in the early 2000s as part of Skorpion’s refinery, the plant has long provided an outlet for sulphur-bearing gases generated in the roasting of zinc ore.
The recommissioning project will refurbish this existing infrastructure, allowing Vedanta to both reduce emissions and produce a high-value industrial input.
In preparation for renewed production, the company has called for Expressions of Interest from potential long-term off-take partners.
The arrangement will cover both the supply of sulphuric acid and the management of logistics, with deliveries to be made on an ex-works basis from Skorpion Zinc.
“The initiative reflects our commitment to building strategic partnerships that create sustainable value. We invite companies with the required technical and logistical capabilities to submit their interest in entering into a long-term off-take agreement for the supply of sulphuric acid,” Vedanta Zinc International said.
Sulphuric acid is one of the most widely used industrial chemicals, serving as a critical input in metal leaching for uranium mining, fertiliser production, and a range of other manufacturing processes.
Vedanta Zinc International, a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited with a market capitalisation of about US$30 billion, operates mines in South Africa’s Northern Cape and oversees Namibian assets that remain on care and maintenance.
