{{Short description|Former Australian mining company}} {{Use Australian English|date=November 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox company |name = Zinifex |logo = Zinifex logo.png |type = Public |traded_as = {{ASX|ZFX}} |fate = Merged with Oxiana to form Oz Minerals |successor = Oz Minerals |foundation = 2002 |defunct = 30 June 2008 |founder = |location_city = Melbourne |location_country = Australia |locations = |area_served = |key_people = |industry = Mining and refining |products = Zinc, lead, silver |services = |revenue = $4.6 billion (2007) |operating_income = $1.7 billion (2007) |net_income = $1.3 billion (2007) |num_employees = |divisions = |subsid = |owner = |homepage = [https://web.archive.org/web/20070818005414/http://www.zinifex.com/Main.aspx www.zinifex.com.au]}}
'''Zinifex''' was an Australian company that operated lead and zinc mines, refineries and a lead smelter. It was established in April 2004, when the assets of Pasminco were spun-off. In 2008 it merged with Oxiana to form Oz Minerals.
==History== In September 2001, Pasminco was placed in voluntary administration.<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/07/12/1026185108351.html How poor choices Savaged Pasminco] ''Sydney Morning Herald'' 12 July 2002</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220530082053/https://www.pasminco.com.au/files/annual2002.pdf Annual report for year ended 30 June 2002] Pasminco</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170219012206/http://www.pasminco.com.au/files/2001%262002/AGM%202001%20-%202002.pdf Statement to the 2001 and 2002 Joint Annual General Meetings by John Spark, Deed Administrator] Pasminco</ref> Some assets were sold by administrator Ferrier Hodgson, with the remaining profitable assets spun-off to a new entity, Zinifex, which was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in April 2004. Assets included mines in Mount Isa and Rosebery, and smelters in Budel (The Netherlands), Clarkesville (United States), Hobart and Port Pirie.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200502093508/https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20040302/pdf/3kvcgnf6cd3wb.pdf Pasminco Group Restructure Proposal] Pasminco 2 March 2004</ref><ref>[https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20040312/pdf/3kyx0xlkmn34d.pdf Institutional Offering Memorandum] Zinifex 11 March 2004</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170204103424/http://www.pasminco.com.au/ History] Pasminco</ref>
After floating on the ASX, Zinifex proved successful mainly due to the company keeping no hedges in place, and benefiting from rises in the zinc price. The share price rose from $1.80 in April 2004 to over $18 in December 2006.<ref>{{cite web |title=Zinifex Limited — Historical prices |url=http://au.finance.yahoo.com/q/hp?s=ZFX.AX&a=03&b=5&c=2004&d=11&e=2&f=2006&g=m |access-date=2 December 2006 |publisher=Yahoo!7 Finance |archive-date=7 July 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707091112/http://au.finance.yahoo.com/q/hp?s=ZFX.AX&a=03&b=5&c=2004&d=11&e=2&f=2006&g=m |url-status=dead }}</ref>
On 1 July 2008, Zinifex merged with Oxiana to form Oz Minerals.<ref>[https://www.afr.com/politics/oxiana-zinifex-in-12bn-merger-20080304-jcx92 Oxiana, Zinflex in $12bn merger] ''Australian Financial Review'' 4 March 2008</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.smh.com.au/business/zinifex-oxiana-merge-into-oz-minerals-20080616-2rcm.html|title=Zinifex, Oxiana merge into OZ Minerals|date=16 June 2008|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=27 July 2009}}</ref><ref>[https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20080701/pdf/319ycd5vk3fs0s.pdf Implementation of Ziniflex/Oxiana Scheme of Arrangement] Zinifex 1 July 2008</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200502100922/https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20080702/pdf/319yxzcqf8nkg8.pdf Removal from the Official List] Australian Securities Exchange 2 July 2008</ref>
==Operations== [[File:Rosebery Mine.jpg|thumb|Above-ground workings at the Rosebery mine in Rosebery, Tasmania]] Zinifex was engaged in minerals exploration, production and smelting to produce zinc and lead concentrates, and zinc, lead and silver metals together with various alloys and byproducts, and the marketing of these products. The segments of the company included Century Mine in Mount Isa, a large open cut zinc, lead and silver mine, operating on a mining lease secured for at least the life of the mine; Rosebery Mine in Rosebery, Tasmania, a medium-sized underground zinc, lead, silver, gold and copper mine; Port Pirie Smelter, a primary lead smelting facility; Australian Refined Alloys, an acid battery and lead recycling business owned 50% by Zinifex in a joint venture with Sims Metal; Budel Smelter, an electrolytic smelter, and Clarksville Smelter, a modern smelter to access a large portion of the United States zinc market.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070829193938/http://www.zinifex.com/Index.aspx?link_id=18.757 Mines] Zinifex</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070829194040/http://www.zinifex.com/Index.aspx?link_id=18.758 Smelters] Zinifex</ref>
In December 2006, Zinifex announced it would merge its smelting operations with those of Umicore,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/12/12/1809536.htm?site=news|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101101004754/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/12/12/1809536.htm?site=news|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 November 2010|title=Zinifex to merge smelting operations with Umicore|date=12 December 2006|work=ABC News|access-date=27 July 2009}}</ref> to form Nyrstar that was floated in October 2007.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Business/Zinifex-Umicore-unveil-Nyrstar-float/2007/10/15/1192300648910.html|title=Zinifex, Umicore unveil Nyrstar float|date=15 October 2007|work=The Age|access-date=27 July 2009 | location=Melbourne}}</ref> This left Zinifex as purely a mining company.<ref>{{cite web |title=Zinifex and Umicore seek to create the world's leading producer of zinc metal, Nyrstar |url=http://asx.com.au/asx/statistics/showAnnouncementPDF.do?idsID=00677174|work=Zinifex|access-date=12 December 2006 |date=12 December 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070325234959/http://asx.com.au/asx/statistics/showAnnouncementPDF.do?idsID=00677174 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 25 March 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2006/12/12/1165685650493.html |title=Zinifex, Umicore to combine zinc assets as Nyrstar on the 1st september 2007|date=9 January 2007 | location=Melbourne |work=The Age }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/31/2020197.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228040443/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/31/2020197.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=28 February 2008 | title=Port Pirie smelter changes from Zinifex to Nyrstar | publisher=ABC News | date=31 August 2007 | access-date=18 September 2010}}</ref>
In early 2007, a number of incidents affected Zinifex: The Port Pirie smelter had a steam explosion in February<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/business/items/200702/s1841945.htm |title=Zinifex explosion forces lead smelter shutdown |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=6 February 2007 |author=Ali Moore |access-date=11 March 2007}}</ref> and an explosion when moisture contacted molten copper in March.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200703/s1867990.htm |date=9 March 2007 |title=Work resumes at Zinifex smelter |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=11 March 2007}}</ref> It also had a loading barge used to export ore from the Century Mine damaged in a cyclone.<ref>{{cite news |title=Zinifex sees no cost from damaged ship |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/Business/Zinifex-sees-no-cost-from-damaged-ship/2007/02/14/1171405286271.html |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=14 February 2007 |access-date=11 March 2007}}</ref>
{{wide image|The Zinc Works and Incat.jpg|800px|The zinc works at Lutana}}
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Companies based in Melbourne Category:Companies formerly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange Category:Corporate spin-offs Category:Defunct mining companies of Australia Category:2004 establishments in Australia Category:2008 disestablishments in Australia Category:2008 mergers and acquisitions