:: Fluor Begins Construction on Copper Smelter in South America  

Fluor Corporation has announced that it has begun construction on the first smelter modernization of its kind in South America. The smelter is owned by Southern Peru Copper Corporation and is located in Ilo, Peru.

When complete, the Ilo smelter will be the first modernized copper smelter in South America to use ISASMELT technology (by Xstrata Plc), a modern bath-smelting process for the production of non-ferrous metals. The smelter is being modernized to comply with environmental emissions regulations mandated by the Peruvian government.

When complete, in June 2006, the smelter will produce copper that can be sent to copper refineries for further processing.