MONACA, Pa. (AP) — Zinc production has shut down at a western Pennsylvania site where Shell Oil Co. is considering building a high dollar petrochemical plant.
Horsehead Holding Corp. had announced last fall that it intended to close the smelter in Beaver County, about 25 miles northwest of Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (https://bit.ly/1ndH6Da ) reports that the company said Friday that production halted on Wednesday, leaving only 40 of the original 510 workers to help with the final closure.
Shell held public meetings last month on the proposed multibillion-dollar "cracker" plant, which would convert ethane from natural gas into chemicals for plastics, antifreeze and other products.
The company is paying for demolition on the Horsehead site. Shell officials say they are in the third and final stage of consideration of the petrochemical project.