en.Wedoany.com Report, Mining giant Glencore (LSE: GLEN) has secured a legislative extension from the Quebec government, postponing the compliance deadline for its Horne copper smelter to meet the new arsenic emission limit of 15 nanograms per cubic meter until 2029, a two-year delay from the original plan. This standard will remain in place at least until 2033.
The Quebec National Assembly is reviewing amendments to Bill 11, aiming to establish a new regulatory window for the Horne smelter. As Canada's only copper smelting facility, Glencore last month suspended a nearly C$1 billion (approximately US$719 million) local investment plan, which included $300 million specifically for emission reduction, due to a failure to reach a long-term operational agreement with the provincial government.
The Horne smelter currently operates under a special agreement, with its current annual arsenic emission cap set at 45 nanograms per cubic meter, 15 times higher than the provincial standard of 15 ng/m³. This legislative adjustment grants the facility a two-year buffer beyond the original 2027 compliance deadline, but its long-term viability still hinges on subsequent funding and policy arrangements.
Located in Rouyn-Noranda, the smelter is one of the few facilities in North America capable of processing copper concentrate and electronic waste, producing approximately 210,000 tonnes of copper annually. Together with Glencore's Montreal-based Canadian Copper Refinery (CCR), it forms Canada's only complete copper smelting and refining chain. Unions have warned that if the Horne smelter closes, CCR would also shut down due to a supply cut.
Quebec's public health authorities have expressed strong concerns over the extension, stating that continued exposure to arsenic increases health risks for residents. Meanwhile, the federal government is reportedly considering providing $150 million to help Glencore cover pollution control system costs. Glencore Canada stated it is closely monitoring the legislative process, and the final compliance plan will only be settled after the bill is formally passed.
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