USW Strikes at Five Asarco Copper Locations

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster):  The United Steelworkers (USW) confirmed today about 2,000 hourly workers began to strike at five Asarco copper production locations in Arizona and Texas.

The USW voted on 11 October to strike at the five locations and provided 48 hours' notice to terminate the extension agreement under which the workers had worked since 1 December 2018.

Asarco, a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, has a 27,400 t/d concentrator and 720,000 t/yr copper smelter in Hayden, Arizona, and the Silver Bell copper mine in Marana, Arizona, which has a cathode production of 65 t/d.

Asarco also has the Mission complex in Sahuarita, Arizona, which consists of open pit mines over five properties and the nearby North San Xavier mine. Asarco has the Ray operations in Kearny, Arizona, which has a 250,000 t/d open pit mine with a 30,000 t/d concentrator and 103mn lb/yr solvent extraction-electrowinning operation.

Additionally, Asarco has a copper refinery in Amarillo, Texas.

Asarco did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Courtesy: www.argusmedia.com