Vedanta Zambia copper unit to get output boost

April 7, 2010 - PRLog -- London-listed Vedanta Resources' Zambian unit, Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), will start to process copper from a major project within the next two weeks, the company said.

KCM, Zambia's largest copper producer, said late on Monday it would start to deliver raw materials from the Konkola Deep Mining Project (KDMP), which was commissioned last week, to its concentrator in the next 10-15 days to start processing.

The KDMP, one of the company's $1,6-billion group of projects, will help boost total copper production to 500,000 tonnes next year from around 300 000 t in 2010 and will extend the mine's life by 23 years.

General manager Raj Kulkarni said KDPM, which involves deepening one of the shafts to 1 460 metres, together with other expansion projects, is forecast to produce 200 000 t of copper per year when Konkola mine reaches maximum output.

"We commissioned the new crushing, loading and hoisting facility, which will add three-million tons of ore hoisting capacity to the existing two-million tons at Konkola mine," Kulkarni told reporters during a tour of the new project 480 km north of the Zambian capital, Lusaka.

KCM also operates the Konkola copper and Nchanga open pit mines, the satellite Fitwaola mine and the Nampundwe pyrite mine. It has also started reclaiming refractory ores at the Nchanga open pit to produce more copper.

Source: www.miningweekly.com