Mining giant Vale Inco has formally begun construction on a CAN$2.2 billion nickel processing plant in Long Harbour, Newfoundland, according to the CBC. The four-year project is expected to create 1,600 construction jobs and what Vale Inco describes as "scores" of permanent skilled trade positions; the CBC report says that the company expects shortages in filling positions for pipefitters and electricians. When operational, the plant will use water, oxygen, and acid to separate metals from concentrate; the metal will be shipped to the plant from the Voisey's Bay mine in northern Labrador. "I think [it] marks a pretty important milestone for us, as we move forward with the project in Long Harbour," says Bob Carter, a Vale Inco corporate affairs manager, who also acknowledges that the project faces some obstacles caused by the economic crisis. "Anybody involved in business is looking very closely at what's going on," he says. "Our industry has been affected by changes that are occurring globally."