Liberty Bell Bay manganese smelter to close immediately after sale falls through
The Liberty Bell Bay manganese smelter in Tasmania is set to close immediately after a planned sale fell through due to the loss of a key financial backer. The closure will result in the loss of approximately 200 jobs, prompting concern from government officials.
Why it matters
The closure highlights the vulnerability of regional industrial hubs to volatile global economic conditions and the challenges of maintaining heavy manufacturing.
Administrators have been unable to find a buyer for the manganese smelter at Bell Bay, in northern Tasmania. ( ABC News: Kate Nickels )
The administrators of the Liberty Bell Bay smelter have ordered its closure.
The facility went into administration in March, and the preferred bidder pulled out of the acquisition process on Tuesday after losing its main financial backer last month.
The workers will find out more about redundancies on Monday.
Link copied Share Share article The administrators of Australia's last manganese smelter say they have ordered the immediate closure of the business.
The Liberty Bell Bay smelter in northern Tasmania was placed into administration in March this year, but in May, administrators announced it had entered into an agreement with a consortium to acquire the business.
One of its main financial backers pulled out last month, leaving the sale in doubt.
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