translation via Google Baie-Comeau) Argex The company wanted to reassure the business community of Baie-Comeau about his intentions in Manicouagan. The company does not simply just tap the resource, it has big ambitions with its titanium ore and other iron, but without natural gas and mineral port, none of this will materialize.
"Without natural gas, plans to produce titanium dioxide is not profitable here, simply. The supply [of energy] represents 50% of our operating costs, "said President and CEO Argex Roy Bonnell, before more than a hundred guests gathered for a dinner hosted by the House Commercial Manicouagan Manicouagan and Development and Innovation.
Baie-Comeau loses nothing but for now, said Mr. Bonnel, because Argex plans to build three modules production of titanium dioxide, with a revolutionary process. As the company hopes to start production in 2015 and natural gas, it goes to the North Shore, will not arrive until December 2016 at best, Baie-Comeau will compete for the second or third module .
"With the pipeline not expected until early 2017, we think building our first module also explained Mr. Bonnel. But we will never all our production in the same place as our main customer buys several sources in the world to manage risk. It is therefore important for us to have modules in different places. "Noted in passing that the titanium dioxide is mainly used in the paint industry. Argex has an agreement with PPG, second largest producer of paint.
The ore port
As for iron ore Mouchalagane Lake, north of Manic-5 tank, "there are strong expectations," commented Enrico De Cesare, vice-president of operations, who said in passing Argex seriously considering the true transformation of iron in the region, "not only the pellet." This is where comes into play ore port. In its current state, the port of Baie-Comeau can accommodate huge iron ore carriers that transport, but the city continues to lather his proposed $ 250 million for the construction of an ore port and an industrial heavy mining companies.
This speech was music to the ears of the mayor of Baie-Comeau, Christine Brisson, who saw there a lot of grist for her project, she wants to make his city a major player in the mining industry. "When we go to meet with the government for funding with the interest of a business to our port, it will give us wings," submitted the mayor, who did not fail to note that Baie-Comeau s' was allied to Sept-Îles and Port-Cartier "to demonstrate strong support for the arrival of natural gas."
With the feasibility study of the project of titanium dioxide which is just beginning, Argex did not want to give an estimate of the cost of projects.
Roy Bonnell has revealed that the titanium dioxide project could create hundreds of jobs, while that for the iron ore in 1000 could lead to new jobs, 500 at the mine and all the processing plant. So far, Argex says he spent $ 10 million in North Shore properties.