Ireland’s Galmoy zinc-lead mine will begin to shut down their mine over the next three years.  It may even happen sooner if the price of zinc drops.

The mine, which produces about 70,000 tonnes of zinc metal and 19,000 tonnes of lead metal a year, employs 221 people and will shut down completely in 2011 when the mine reaches the end of its natural lifespan, the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU) said.

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While the mine could last another possible 10 years it is not seen as economically viable.

Swedish-Canadian group Lundin said last year that unless a significant new ore deposit was found, 2011 would be the final year for Galmoy, in the southeastern county of Kilkenny.

Galmoy Managing Director Stefan Mansson said the mine had already gone past the 10-year horizon envisaged when it began operations in 1997.

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