[3][1] Challenging industrial relations have been documented throughout the smelter's operation, mainly during the 1990s and 2000s due to changing management and structure of the plant.

[4] The smelter's official closure in 2014 has since been followed by ongoing developments to remediate the land for its use for residential, industrial and conservation reasons.

[1] This Line II expansion also involved the fitting of dry scrubbers to remove fluoride from waste gases.

[1] In 1981 a third potline was approved, increasing production capacity to 135,000 t/y of aluminium and adding another 120 centre-worked prebake cells with anode manufacturing capabilities, pollution controls and support facilities.

[11] The Kurri Smelter produced various types of ingots for use in building materials used in roofs, doors and windows, and for use in tubing and cables.

[17] VAW indicated in March 2001 of its plans to expand to a fourth potline, increasing capacity per annum by 100,000 tonnes of aluminium.

[1] In another assessment, the smelter was found to deposit the majority of fluoride pollution to the north of the plant towards Wentworth Swamp near Maitland, through both aerial and waterway transportation.

[5] With the introduction of more emissions reductions policies by the Australian Government, the smelter was subject to partial exemptions as a result of its trade exposure.

[23] Under the 2010 Renewable Energy Target, the smelter received partial exemptions and was intended to be given extensive free permits with the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

[4] The period of economic liberalisation in the 1990s saw the smelter undergo several changes to cope with increased competition and efficiency, including a reduction in job positions and a restructuring of management.

[4] This began a period of challenging relations between a new management focused on cost reduction and employees and their unions with reluctance to change.

[4] Despite greater investments into the Plant aimed at increasing production and costing almost $127 million, relations continued to deteriorate as VAW, and its successor Hydro, maintained a cost-reductions approach to management which included significant job cuts.

[4] Between 2000 and 2005 a considerable amount of collective industrial action led to the smelter's management seeking arbitration tribunals.

[4] The smelter's new potroom manager, Knut Austreid, facilitated an increase in manning and training of new technologies and equipment.

[26] The protest involved the Australian Worker's Union secretary in Newcastle, the Cessnock MP and head of the smelter.

[17] Following the closure, the smelter was engaged in an array of environmental impact assessments aimed at facilitating the remediation of contaminated land.

[5] An action camera positioned close to the smelter to capture the falling smokestacks was flung 40 metres due to the impact of the stacks hitting the ground.

[34] However, the sale was revoked when Flow Systems went into voluntary administration a few months after buying the Kurri Smelter.

[36] The partnership is planning on developing the site into a new suburb called Loxford Waters with 2000 new homes with added industrial estates and a business park.