Luanshya Copper Mine, a unit of China Non Ferrous Metals Corporation Africa in Zambia, intensified efforts to start mining at its Mulyashi Copper Mine by the end of this year after removing more than 10 million tones of earth covering the copper.
The Greenfield open pit mine, expected to gobble USD 470 million has 5 million tones of earth to be excavated to ensure the needed copper ore is reached and made available for mining by December 2011. The mine is forecast to produce 30,000 tonnes of finished copper when completed.
Mr Sydney Chileya company spokesperson said that work on the construction of the open pit mine in Luanshya, one of Zambia’s oldest mines established in 1936 have reached advanced stage.
The company has completed constructing the administration block and mobilized 17 dump trucks to ensure each is able to haul 90 tons of earth where the copper ore is covered. The company has increased the haulage of earth to 1,000 per day from 500,000 tonnes it cleared previously as it seeks to meet the December 31 deadline.
Additionally, the leach and acid plants are almost completed with five out of seven tanks needed for acid storage being installed. The leach plant is almost completed although it remains with final touches. A storage yard has been completed and most of the equipment needed to be used in the construction of the mine which is arriving from various countries including South Africa, United Kingdom, China, among other sources is being stored within perimeter.
He said that we are on schedule with the commissioning of the open pit mine and we are working tirelessly to ensure copper production begins by December 31 this year. The company has 15 million tonnes of earth it seeks to remove to reach the copper ore reserves at the mines which it seeks to tap into and contribute to Zambia’s capacity to provide the international metal market with copper.
Mr Chileya said that we have now remained with about 290 days out of 420 days in our countdown to the finishing of the project and we are sure we will be operational by the December 2011. China’s nonferrous metals planned investment has risen to USD 470 million from an initial projection of USD 350 million because of among other factors fluctuations in the foreign currencies being used to import materials needed at the mine, part of which has started arriving at the site where the mine will be located.
He is happy that the rehabilitated copper hoisting system at Baluba mine at a cost of about USD 4.5 million has increased copper output to 500 tons per day from 350 per day previously. He said that this would also boost production of finished copper at the 77 year old copper mine. Baluba produces about 60,000 tons of copper annually.
(Filed by Mr Kapembwa Sinkamba SteelGuru Correspondent Zambia)
