The Balen smelter is one of the world’s largest zinc smelters in terms of production volume.

The Balen and Pelt sites are only 18 kilometres apart. The sites’ operations are complementary and highly integrated. Cathodes produced at Balen and Auby (France) are transported to the centralised melting & casting facilities in Pelt. In addition, the Pelt site includes one of Europe’s largest oxide washing facilities that serves as a central washing facility for the pre-treatment of purchased secondaries prior to their consumption by the European Nyrstar smelters.

The casting facilities in Pelt include a state-of-the-art melting furnace and fully automated casting lines. The Balen smelter produces zinc from feedstock of both zinc concentrates and recycled zinc secondary feed materials. The Balen smelter can process a high percentage of secondary feed material input without adversely affecting overall plant productivity, efficiency or residue output.