Zambia copper refinery expansion nears completion
Zambia copper refinery expansion nears completion
LUSAKA, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Zambia's Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), a unit of London-listed Vedanta Resources Plc (LSE: VED.L - news) , is close to completing the capacity expansion of its Nkana refinery to 300,000 tonnes per year from 250,000 tonnes, it said.
Henry Kangongo, manager for the Nkana refinery, said 90 percent of the expansion work had been completed, after KCM spent around $38 million of the $43 million budgeted for the project.
'The work involves the physical expansion of the plant and the installation of new modern equipment to improve efficiency in the production of refined copper,' Kangongo was quoted as saying in the latest edition of the company's Konkola news publication seen by Reuters on Monday.
The expansion is part of KCM's plans to raise total copper production to 500,000 tonnes by 2011 from a projected 305,000 tonnes this year.
'When the expansion works are completed, the refinery will be well equipped to play is part in KCM's push for 500,000 tonnes of copper per annum,' Kangongo said.
Kangongo said the company wanted to align the refinery's capacity to its new Nchanga smelter, which was commissioned in 2008 but was shut down on August 31 this year for maintenance and replacement of worn out refractory bricks at the unit.
KCM, which operates the Nchanga smelter, Nchanga open pit, Konkola copper mines and the satellite Fitwaola mine is developing the Konkola Deep Copper Project (KMDP), touted as Africa's deepest copper mine.
The company is Zambia's largest copper producer.
(Editing by Shapi Shacinda)
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