Vale Inco Ltd is cutting production at its Canadian operations to help deal with a worldwide slide in commodity prices as economies falter. The Brazilian-owned mining company said that, beginning in January, it will shut down the Copper Cliff South mine in Sudbury for an undetermined period of time. Copper Cliff South’s 365 employees will be redeployed to the company’s other operations. Vale Inco, Canada’s largest nickel producer, employs about 4700 people in the Sudbury area at six mines, a mill, a smelter and a refinery. The company also has other major operations in Thompson, Manitoba, and at Voisey’s Bay in Labrador. Vale Inco is launching a voluntary retirement program for employees around the world and plans other cost-cutting initiatives.