Final Vale Inco plan for hydromet plant still not tendered

Mining giant Vale Inco has not yet submitted a final plan for developing a nickel processing plant for southern Newfoundland, with neither the company nor government officials commenting on the delay.

Under an agreement with the Newfoundland and Labrador government, Vale Inco — which intends to process nickel mined at Voisey's Bay, in northern Labrador, at a site in Long Harbour — was to submit its plan by Dec. 31.

The government extended that deadline by three weeks after it saw a draft copy.

Bob Carter, a public affairs official with Vale Inco in St. John's, told CBC News on Monday that the company continues to work on the plan, and that it remains fully committed to plans for a hydrometallurgical processing facility in Long Harbour.

An aide to Natural Resources Minister Kathy Dunderdale said there are outstanding issues that need to be discussed with Vale Inco.

Neither Vale Inco nor the government is commenting on what the issues are.

Vale Inco announced the project, valued at more than $2 billion, in November. The hydromet plant will have a permanent workforce of about 450 employees, with the hoping to complete the plant in 2012.

More than 3,000 workers will be needed to work on construction during a three-year period.