production 2012
Mopani produced 99,000Â tonnes of own copper in 2012 and 187,100Â tonnes of total copper including third party sourced and toll
material, reflecting a 2% and 8% decline respectively compared to 2011.
The reduction in total finished copper production primarily resulted from the planned biennial smelter shutdown. The small reduction in Mopani’s own copper production was due to the temporary suspension of the heap leach process earlier in the year.
The $Â 323Â million Synclinorium shaft project to increase mine production, which is expected to come online during 2015, and the
associated project to improve and modernise the smelter remain on track. In 2012, Mopani announced that the smelter upgrade
project (including improving SO2
emission capture to above 97%) is expected to be completed by December 2013, 18 months
ahead of the schedule initially agreed with the Zambian authorities.