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First Quantum produce finished copper cathodes during the fi
Tuesday, 06 Jul 2010
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First Quantum Minerals Limited produced more than 53,000 tonnes of finished copper cathodes during the first 3 months of 2010 at its Kansanshi unit in Zambia despite power failures and low ore volumes that characterized its operations.
Mr Richard Zyambo environmental manager of First Quantum told a stakeholders meeting in Solwezi in northwestern Zambia recently that Kansanshi mine, one of Zambia’s main copper miner, produced more than 53,583 tonnes of copper in the Q1 of this year.
The output indicated 12% decline in the production of the mineral compared to the same period a year earlier. The declined output was attributed to the lower mining volumes, power failures and low ore volumes and grades caused by low mine equipment availability in the Q1 of 2010.
Mr Zyambo said that that during the Q1 of 2010, the unit cost of production increased due to higher ore and processing costs incurred. He said that “Ore costs were impacted by lower equipment availability in the period, which increased the cost per tonne of ore processed and resulted in the processing of ore from stockpiles at lower grades and higher average cost per tonne.”
Mr Zyambo said that higher engineering and maintenance costs were incurred related to the replacement of the oxide SAG mill. There was, however, an improvement in terms of gold production in the Q1 of 2010 compared to the Q1 of 2009 by 10 which rose to 24,272 ounces.
However, gold production is expected to improve as a result of the recent commissioning of additional gravity concentrators. And Kansanshi Mine spent ZMK1.6 billion between January to March 2010 on various projects under its corporate social responsibility, ranging from repair of the Solwezi Chingola road, infrastructure development and health.
(Filed by Mr Kapembwa Sinkamba SteelGuru Correspondent Zambia)