Cargill to Close Its Avery Island Salt Mine, Louisiana
[Click image to enlarge]
Cargill will permanently end of salt production at its mine in Avery Island, Louisiana. The company had originally planned to halt hoisting salt from the mine later in 2021 because the lease, with the landowner Avery Island Inc., expires at year-end.
While Cargill will no longer produce salt from the mine, there is still a significant amount of work that needs to be done at the mine to safely close the facility which will likely take until 2024. A detailed site closure plan has been established outlining work activities. The company is working with employees to offer a variety of support services as they are needed.
“For more than 24 years, we have been proud to be part of the Avery Island and New Iberia communities,” said Sonya Roberts, president of Cargill’s salt business.
“This was a difficult business decision, but ultimately the right one as we considered the future economics of the mine’s operation and our production capacity until the end of the year. We’d like to thank Avery Island Inc. for their partnership over those years and thank our hard-working employees who have made the mine successful,” added Roberts.
While employee impacts are still being determined, Roberts notes that the company remains committed to treating employees with dignity and respect in line with Cargill’s values.
The mine on Avery Island has been operating since the mid-1800s and was the first rock salt mine in North America. The mine is owned by Avery Island Inc. and has been managed by Cargill since 1997 when it acquired the lease from Azko-Nobel.
Avery Island is one of three salt mines operated by Cargill. All three mines produce deicing salt that is used to keep roads safe and clear during the winter months throughout the U.S. and Canada. Cargill also operates a salt evaporation facility in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana where the company is expanding capacity and increasing efficiency. Those facilities are not impacted by this announcement. Cargill also operates 22 other salt production locations that produce, package and ship salt for road deicing, food, water softening, agricultural, industrial and packaged ice control products.
“We are confident we will be able to fulfill our customer obligations and do not expect disruptions to their operations. Our supply chain is robust and we remain committed to investing in our other operations while continuing to grow our salt business,” said Roberts.
About Cargill
Cargill provides agricultural products. The company produces grains and oilseeds and provides farmer services and risk management solutions, as well as offers animal nutrition, biofuels, meat and poultry, food, and industrial products. Cargill serves customers worldwide.
To stop by Cargill’s website, CLICK HERE
Be in-the-know when you’re on-the-go!
FREE eNews delivery service to your email twice-weekly. With a focus on lead-driven news, our news service will help you develop new business contacts on an on-going basis.
CLICK HERE to register your email address.
Copyright © 2020 Mining Connection LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.
For licensing permission, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
