Nyrstar To Restart Balen Zinc Plant At 70% Capacity In Q4 09

LONDON, Sept. 18 -- Belgium zinc producer Nyrstar SA (NYR.BT) plans to restart its Balen zinc smelter in the fourth quarter at 70% capacity, the company said Thursday.

    Balen is one of the world's biggest zinc smelters, with an annual capacity of 270,000 metric tons of zinc.

    Nyrstar shut Balen last November after prices fell nearly 60% to a four-year low.

    The company said it will monitor market conditions before returning the smelter to full capacity.

    "Whilst we believe that the outlook for zinc in the medium to long term is positive, in the short term markets are likely to remain volatile," Chief Operating Officer Greg McMillan said in the press statement.

    (Source: Dow Jones)