Inco Superstack
Encyclopedia
The mine at the Inco Superstack is the source for 100% of the nickel used to make the batteries for Toyota's Pruis.
The Inco Superstack in Sudbury, Ontario, with a height of 380 metres (1,246.7 ft), is the tallest chimney
in Canada and the Western hemisphere
, and the second tallest freestanding chimney in the world after the GRES-2 Power Station
in Kazakhstan. It is also the second tallest freestanding structure of any type in Canada, ranking behind the CN Tower
but ahead of First Canadian Place
, and the 27th tallest freestanding structure in the world. The Superstack sits atop the largest nickel smelting
operation in the world at Inco's Copper Cliff processing facility in the city of Greater Sudbury.
It was constructed in 1972 by Inco Limited (now Vale) at an estimated cost of 25 million dollars; from the date of its completion until the GRES-2 chimney was constructed in 1987, it was the world's tallest smokestack. Between the years 1972–75 it was the tallest freestanding structure in Canada.
The structure was built to disperse sulphur
gases and other byproducts of the smelting process away from the city itself. As a result, these gases can be detected in the atmosphere around Greater Sudbury in a 240 kilometres (149.1 mi) radius of the Inco plant. Prior to the construction of the Superstack, the waste gases contributed to severe local ecological damage. Compounded by open coke beds in the early to mid 20th century and logging for fuel, an inevitable near-total loss of native vegetation occurred. Of particular interest to geologists are the now exposed rocky outcrops, which have been dyed jet black by acid rain
in a layer which penetrates up to three inches into the once pink-gray granite
.
By the 1950s, Sudbury's image as a barren, rocky wasteland was established. Despite the industry, a growing working class population, and subsequent deforestation of the past century, some pockets of old growth forests have remarkably survived.
Construction of the Superstack was followed by an environmental reclamation project which has included rehabilitation of existing landscapes and selected water bodies such as Lake Ramsey
. The ambitious regreening plan which has seen over three million new trees planted within the Greater Sudbury area. In 1992, Inco and the city was given an award by the United Nations in honour of its environmental rehabilitation programs.
While the Superstack lowered the ground-level pollution in the city, it has dispersed sulfur dioxide
, and nitrogen dioxide
gases over a much larger area. Though not the single source of lake acidification, it appears even the heavily industrialized Ohio Valley has contributed to the ecological problem of lakes as far north as northern Ontario. Research from data gleaned up to the late 1980s demonstrated acid rain to have affected the biology of some 7,000 lakes.
Prior to Vale's purchase of Inco, a major construction effort by Inco in the early 1990s dramatically scrubbed waste gases before pumping them up the Superstack. These upgrades were completed in 1994 and emissions from then on are much reduced. Despite the 90% reduction in the sulfur dioxide and other gases, carbon dioxide and water vapour are the most visible component and continue to contribute to Vale's image as a pollution source.
It remains to be seen how Inco's new owners, Vale, will continue, considering the Brazilian company's past practices outside of North America. If Vale considers further reductions in emissions with 21st century technologies, the Superstack might no longer be needed, and could be converted into a communications observation tower
.
SO2 reductions have reached the point where the natural draught from the heat of the SO2 is no longer sufficient. Natural gas burners and fans are now needed to move the SO2 up the stack.
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
in Canada and the Western hemisphere
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
, and the second tallest freestanding chimney in the world after the GRES-2 Power Station
GRES-2 Power Station
The GRES-2 Power Station is a coal-fueled power generating station in Ekibastuz, Kazakhstan. GRES-2, built in 1987, has installed capacity of 1,000 MWe and has the world's tallest flue gas stack at high. The chimney is about taller than the Inco Superstack in Sudbury, Canada. Locals refer to it...
in Kazakhstan. It is also the second tallest freestanding structure of any type in Canada, ranking behind the CN Tower
CN Tower
The CN Tower is a communications and observation tower in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Standing tall, it was completed in 1976, becoming the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower at the time. It held both records for 34 years until the completion of the Burj...
but ahead of First Canadian Place
First Canadian Place
First Canadian Place is a skyscraper in the financial district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, at the northwest corner of King and Bay streets, and is the location of the Toronto headquarters of the Bank of Montreal. At , it is Canada's tallest skyscraper and the 15th tallest building in North America...
, and the 27th tallest freestanding structure in the world. The Superstack sits atop the largest nickel smelting
Smelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
operation in the world at Inco's Copper Cliff processing facility in the city of Greater Sudbury.
It was constructed in 1972 by Inco Limited (now Vale) at an estimated cost of 25 million dollars; from the date of its completion until the GRES-2 chimney was constructed in 1987, it was the world's tallest smokestack. Between the years 1972–75 it was the tallest freestanding structure in Canada.
The structure was built to disperse sulphur
Sulfur
Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element with atomic number 16. In the periodic table it is represented by the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow...
gases and other byproducts of the smelting process away from the city itself. As a result, these gases can be detected in the atmosphere around Greater Sudbury in a 240 kilometres (149.1 mi) radius of the Inco plant. Prior to the construction of the Superstack, the waste gases contributed to severe local ecological damage. Compounded by open coke beds in the early to mid 20th century and logging for fuel, an inevitable near-total loss of native vegetation occurred. Of particular interest to geologists are the now exposed rocky outcrops, which have been dyed jet black by acid rain
Acid rain
Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it possesses elevated levels of hydrogen ions . It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals, and infrastructure. Acid rain is caused by emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen...
in a layer which penetrates up to three inches into the once pink-gray granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
.
By the 1950s, Sudbury's image as a barren, rocky wasteland was established. Despite the industry, a growing working class population, and subsequent deforestation of the past century, some pockets of old growth forests have remarkably survived.
Lake Ramsey
Lake Ramsey is a lake in Sudbury, Ontario, located near the city's downtown core. Until 2001, Lake Ramsey was listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest lake located entirely within the boundaries of a single city, but when the Regional Municipality of Sudbury was...
. The ambitious regreening plan which has seen over three million new trees planted within the Greater Sudbury area. In 1992, Inco and the city was given an award by the United Nations in honour of its environmental rehabilitation programs.
While the Superstack lowered the ground-level pollution in the city, it has dispersed sulfur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula . It is released by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Since coal and petroleum often contain sulfur compounds, their combustion generates sulfur dioxide unless the sulfur compounds are removed before burning the fuel...
, and nitrogen dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula it is one of several nitrogen oxides. is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year. This reddish-brown toxic gas has a characteristic sharp, biting odor and is a prominent...
gases over a much larger area. Though not the single source of lake acidification, it appears even the heavily industrialized Ohio Valley has contributed to the ecological problem of lakes as far north as northern Ontario. Research from data gleaned up to the late 1980s demonstrated acid rain to have affected the biology of some 7,000 lakes.
Prior to Vale's purchase of Inco, a major construction effort by Inco in the early 1990s dramatically scrubbed waste gases before pumping them up the Superstack. These upgrades were completed in 1994 and emissions from then on are much reduced. Despite the 90% reduction in the sulfur dioxide and other gases, carbon dioxide and water vapour are the most visible component and continue to contribute to Vale's image as a pollution source.
It remains to be seen how Inco's new owners, Vale, will continue, considering the Brazilian company's past practices outside of North America. If Vale considers further reductions in emissions with 21st century technologies, the Superstack might no longer be needed, and could be converted into a communications observation tower
Observation tower
An observation tower is a structure used to view events from a long distance and to create a full 360 degree range of vision. They are usually at least tall and made from stone, iron, and wood. Many modern towers are also used as TV towers, restaurants, or churches...
.
SO2 reductions have reached the point where the natural draught from the heat of the SO2 is no longer sufficient. Natural gas burners and fans are now needed to move the SO2 up the stack.