Message Ven 6 Sep 2013 10:26

LCM to construct $50m cobalt processing plant

LCM to construct $50m cobalt processing plant
Posted September 4, 2013 by mitia in Business
Luanshya copper mine
By JUDITH NAMUTOWE -
LUANSHYA Copper Mines (LCM) will next year embark on the construction of the cobalt processing plant which is expected to cost the company in excess of US$50 million, deputy chief executive officer Robert Kamanga has said.
Mr Kamanga said in an interview in Lusaka that the plant, which would be constructed using feed from Baluba Mine, would be situated at Muliashi Mine.
He said preparations on the planned cobalt plant were currently going on and that the feasibility study had since been done.
“We are embarking on the construction of the cobalt plant and this is going to cost us about US$50 million. Preparations have already started and basically we have reached a stage where we will start procuring of equipment,“ Mr Kamanga said.
Mr Kamanga said once constructions works start, it was expected to be completed in 12 months and would employ an additional 200 local people.
He said the project would assist in upgrading the profile for LCM, considering that the mine has a lot of problems in terms of cost profile, increasing cost and the declining of copper prices.
“So once the cobalt plant comes on line, it will assist in upgrading the LCM profile in that it will add value to the current copper feeds, as you may be aware, the mine has a lot of problems in terms of cost profile, increasing cost and the declining of copper prices,” he said.
The LCM cobalt plant is one of the many projects in addition to what was operational at the mine currently.
Mr Kamanga said LCM was in the process of reprocessing the old smelter slug adding that preparations for the project were under way.
Ce que l'on conçoit bien, s'énonce clairement, Et les mots pour le dire arrivent aisément. BOILEAU