Copper production in Q3 2012 was 67,500 tonnes 3.6% below Q2 2012, primarily due to maintenance stoppages in the Sudbury and Thompson mines.
Output from our Canadian operations, excluding copper ore purchased from third parties was 23,900 tonnes decreasing 22.1% on QoQ basis.
Production of copper in concentrates from the Sossego mine at Carajás totaled 29,100 tonnes with a slight increase over Q2 2012 but 5.3% smaller than in Q3 2011. Lower mine output and feed grades received by the processing plant caused the drop in output.
Output at Tres Valles in Chile, was 3,200 tonnes of copper cathode, 7.0% below the previous quarter but 35.2% above Q3 11 as a result of the ramp up to nominal capacity. Tres Valles is still experiencing operational and mechanical issues while coming to full production.
On October 4, the Lubambe copper operations the Konkola North project produced the first concentrate. Lubambe is a 50% owned JV in the African Copperbelt with an estimated nominal capacity of 45,000 tonnes of copper in concentrates.
| Q3 '11 | Q2 '12 | QoQ | Q3 '12 | YoY | |
| COPPER | 84 | 70 | -3.6% | 68 | -19.9% |
| Sossego | 31 | 28 | 3.9% | 29 | -5.3% |
| Sudbury | 26 | 22 | -34.9% | 14 | -45.8% |
| Thompson | 1 | 1 | -57.2% | 0 | -39.4% |
| Voisey's Bay | 13 | 8 | 17.8% | 9 | -28.9% |
| Tres Valles | 2 | 3 | -7.0% | 3 | 35.2% |
| Others | 11 | 8 | 42.5% | 11 | 0.2% |
In '000 tons
| YTD '11 | YTD '12 | YoY | |
| COPPER | 217 | 211 | -3.0% |
| Sossego | 76 | 82 | 7.9% |
| Sudbury | 74 | 60 | -18.6% |
| Thompson | 1 | 2 | 76.0% |
| Voisey's Bay | 37 | 28 | -24.3% |
| Tres Valles | 6 | 10 | 86.6% |
| Others | 23 | 27 | 20.2% |
In '000 tons
Source -VALE
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