MINE OPENING: Inauguration cancelled due to threatened protests

ONTARIO - Xstrata Nickel cancelled the official opening ceremony at its Nickel Rim South mine on March 4 due to protestors who threatened to disrupt the event. Workers affected by Xstrata's decision to close its Kidd copper smelter in Timmins, ON, planned to travel to Sudbury for rallies and protests.

The Nickel Rim mine was fast tracked after the deposit was discovered in 2001(see CMJ August 2008 issue). It also boasts an extremely small environmental footprint.

The Xstrata plc website is at www.Xstrata.com. Click on Group Information, then the Commodity Businesses section for more information.