The union representing workers says the consortium's interest was conditional on the Tasmanian government waiving the pre-existing environmental liabilities at the site. (Supplied)<\/p>\n
The union representing workers at Australia's last manganese smelter in Bell Bay, Tasmania, says there are parties interested in taking over the site.<\/p>\n
On Monday, creditors voted to liquidate Liberty Bell Bay, leaving about 200 workers without a job after more than a year of uncertainty.<\/p>\n
The union representing workers says the latest interest is conditional on the Tasmanian government waiving the pre-existing environmental liabilities at the site and the continuation of the existing power deal.<\/p>\n
The union representing workers at Australia's last manganese smelter says there are parties interested in taking over the site.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Creditors on Monday voted to liquidate Liberty Bell Bay, leaving about 200 workers without a job.<\/p>\n
Manganese is a critical component to make steel, meaning Australia no longer has sovereign steelmaking capability.<\/p>\n
The Australian Workers' Union (AWU) said a consortium involving White Oak and OM Holdings was conditionally interested in buying the site and eventually restarting the smelter.<\/p>\n
"The consortium has been involved in a range of discussions with private investors and they believe that they have enough private investors to recapitalise the plant," assistant branch secretary Robert Flanagan said.<\/p>\n
Workers at the Liberty Bell Bay smelter have faced a long period of uncertainty about their futures. (ABC News)<\/p>\n
Liberty Bell Bay stopped operations in May last year, originally citing ore supply challenges and global market volatility.<\/p>\n
The company's owner, GFG Alliance, has been accused of moving about $200 million out of Liberty Bell Bay via inter-company loans.<\/p>\n
Liquidator EY Parthenon believes Liberty Bell Bay was trading while insolvent for more than a year, including when the Tasmanian government granted the company a $20 million loan.<\/p>\n
Of that, $14.5 million was used to purchase ore \u2014 which the government has since repossessed due to the failure of the company to resume operations.<\/p>\n
The union said the consortium had established a new company to bid to take over the site.<\/p>\n