TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Vancouver-based Quadra Mining expects first-quarter copper production from its Carlota operation, in Arizona, will be lower than forecast because of heavy rain in the region.

Carlota's stormwater management systems functioned “as planned” and there have been no reportable spills under Federal, state and local reporting requirements, Quadra said.

However, the storm, which represented more than a 300-year event as measured by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, has resulted in water accumulation in the bottom of the Carlota pit and in other stormwater containments.

Excess stormwater on the leach pad has been pumped into an engineered containment area within the pad footprint, the company said.

Quadra is studying options to recover the lost first-quarter production over the rest of the year, and does not believe the incident will have a significant effect on its full-year production guidance of 250-million pounds of copper from its three mines.

Work is also under way to improve the mine's ability to handle future “weather events” and regulatory agencies are being kept informed of activities at the operation.

Quadra also owns and operates the Robinson copper mine, in Nevada, as well as the new Franke mine, in Chile, which it acquired last year.

The company produced 164-million pounds of copper in 2009.

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