Xstrata Copper announced a significant increase to the Mineral Resource estimate at our El Pachón project in San Juan Province of Argentina.

Total Mineral Resources have increased to 3.3 billion tonnes at a grade of 0.47% copper using a cut off grade of 0.2% copper and include additional silver and molybdenum by product credits. This represents a 20% increase compared to the previous mineral resource estimate published in December 2011. Total contained copper metal has increased by 16% to 15 million tonnes.

The new estimate is the result of the remodelling of the deposit including additional drilling from prior drilling campaigns not previously accounted for and the use of new geotechnical, metallurgical and economic parameters developed as part of the project’s final feasibility studies.

El Pachón is a major long life development project with the potential to initially produce 400,000 tonnes of copper per annum. During the remainder of the year we will continue to update the project’s final feasibility and environmental impact studies taking into account these new Mineral Resources.

Source - Xstrata.com

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