Australia Gives $105m to Help Nyrstar Smelters
Topic: Mining and Metals
Wednesday, 10 June 2026, 9:44am
The new funding will help keep the Hobart and Port Pirie smelters open and save hundreds of jobs.
In short:
The governments of Australia, Tasmania, and South Australia are giving $105 million to the Nyrstar smelters to keep them running until the end of the year.
The money will also be used to study how to modernize the smelters.
What's next?
Nyrstar will use the studies to decide how to upgrade the smelters.
The Australian, Tasmanian, and South Australian governments have given $105 million to help the Nyrstar smelters.
Last August, Nyrstar got $135 million from the governments to keep the smelters open.
The old funding ended on 1 May this year.
The new funding will help the smelters make antimony and other important metals.
The governments announced the new funding on Wednesday morning in Hobart.
Tasmania gave $7.5 million, South Australia gave $35 million, and the Australian government gave $62.5 million.
Federal Industry Minister Tim Ayres said the funding will help Nyrstar make critical and strategic minerals.
This facility can do great things in the future.
The rescue package helps hundreds of jobs.
The funding will save about 550 jobs at the Hobart smelter and 1,000 indirect jobs.
About 800 people work directly at the Port Pirie smelter.
The Port Pirie smelter has about 800 workers.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said making antimony in Port Pirie is a great opportunity.
Antimony is important for defense, and most of it comes from China.
China stopped exporting antimony, so Australia and the US cannot get it.
Making antimony in Port Pirie will help Australia have its own supply.
Mr Malinauskas said the smelter is important for the country.
If nothing is done, Nyrstar might stop operating in Port Pirie and Tasmania.
More funding might be needed later.
The smelters are struggling in the global market.
Nyrstar's parent company said the smelters are not competitive and lose money.
The funding will help Australia's economy.
There are challenges in the metals sector due to market concentration and subsidies.
This facility can compete in the global economy.
The general manager of the Hobart smelter said more funding might be needed later.
The pre-feasibility study will be finished soon, and then the detailed study will start.
Signage at Nyrstar zinc works, Hobart.
The funding will be used to supply metals to Australia's manufacturing chain.
The smelter makes important products like sulphuric acid.
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