Message Mer 3 Oct 2012 10:06

MB AFRICAN COPPER III: Mopani's $323m synclinorium shaft on

Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) is on course to complete the sinking of a $323 million synclinorium shaft at its Nkana mine, a project that will add 25 years to the life of the operation.
Previously, operations would have ended in 2017, according to MCM’s manager exploration projects, Wellington Mukumba.

Speaking at last week’s Metal Bulletin African Copper III conference, he said that the Nkana synclinorium shaft will raise ore production to 5.1 million tpy by April 2015, from current levels of 3.4 million tpy.

The shaft will also reduce operational costs by 15% because it will hoist 5.1 million tpy of ore using only two shafts, instead of the four shafts hoisting the existing output, Mukumba added.

“If we had not decided to sink the new shaft, by 2017 the whole Nkana mine site would be closing down,” he said.