Ireland's Galmoy zinc mine to begin phased closure

DUBLIN, Sept 26 (Reuters) - The Galmoy zinc-lead mine in Ireland, owned by base metal producer Lundin Mining (LUN.TO), is to close on a phased basis over the next three years starting in December, a union spokesman said on Friday.

The mine, which produces around 70,000 tonnes of zinc metal and 19,000 tonnes of lead metal a year, employs 221 people and will shut down completely in 2011, said Denis Hynes, spokesman for the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union.

No one from Canadian-Swedish group Lundin was immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Kevin Smith; editing by Christopher Johnson)