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Konkola Deep Mine Project in Zambia complete more than 30pct
Thursday, 04 Mar 2010
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The construction of a key power system at Vedanta Resources Plc owned Konkola Deep Mine Project in Zambia, expected to raise copper output by more than 30% has been completed.
Copperbelt Energy Corporation, Zambia’s leading distributor of power to the mines and which is constructing the power project said it has finalized works on the provision of the line that seeks to connect power to the Konkola Deep Project which is earmarked to increase copper output to 500,000 tonnes from 300,000 tonnes produced currently.
Mr Hanson Sindowe chairman of Copperbelt said that the installation of the power system at Konkola Deep Mine Project which is earmarked to start production next month and boost output has been completed in partnership with Konkola Copper Mines. The Konkola expansion project we are doing in conjunction with Konkola Copper Mines is basically complete on the power side.
Konkola Deep Mine Project, dubbed the ‘wettest mine in the world’ is set to start operations by April 2010, according to official data. By April 2009 all equipment for the deep project had been commissioned except for Luano transformer whose commissioning was delayed from September 2009 after some disputes KCM and Africa Development Bank had with the contractor. The Luano transformer however, was commissioned on January 19 this year.
Meanwhile Copperbelt has projected that recent rise in copper prices was expected to lead to increased load uptake by the mines which had fallen to 436MW in 2009 from the demand peak of 532 megawatts consumed a year earlier. Company managing director for corporate development Michael Tarney said negotiations with Luanshya Copper Mine have been opened for the development of the Greenfield Mulyashi project expected to start producing 60,000 tonnes of copper cathodes.
Mr Tarney said that “Sales of copper to the main mining companies on the Copperbelt are expected to increase steadily because of new investments by CEC’s mining customers particularly in Luanshya and Konkola areas.”
Meanwhile, Copperbelt last year recorded 13% decrease in revenue to USD 154.2 million from USD 177.5 million in 2008 due to reduced power consumption by the mines that scaled down production or had closed down because of low copper prices on the international market.
(Filed by Mr Kapembwa Sinkamba SteelGuru Correspondent Zambia)