OUTOKUMPU TO CLOSE NICKEL REFINERY DURING SUMMER

  The Finnish metal and mining group
  Outokumpu Oy said it will close its nickel refinery at
  Harjavalta in central Finland for six weeks in July and August
  this year due to current low prices on the nickel market.
      "We consider nickel prices as bad at the moment, although
  they have been rising slightly since January," refinery sales
  manager Pekka Purra said.
      He said the closure will mean a drop in production of 3,000
  tonnes in 1987 from last year's output of 17,800 tonnes. The
  closure was also a move to cut labour costs as no extra staff
  have to be employed during holidays to keep the plant open.
  

