Copper cathode production at the Aktogay mine.
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Copper miner KAZ Minerals on Monday announced that the sulphide concentrator at its new Aktogay mine, in eastern Kazakhstan, had reached commercial production and that the mine could exceed its 2017 production guidance.
Commissioning of the sulphide concentrator started in December last year and first copper in concentrate from sulphide ore was produced in February. Production of copper cathode from oxide ore started in December 2015.
KAZ Minerals reported that the successful ramp up of the sulphide concentrator and higher-than-expected copper grades at the top of the orebody could result in the Aktogay mine meeting or exceeding the upper end of its 70 000 t to 85 000 t production guidance for the year.
The sulphide deposit would deliver about 90 000 t/y and the oxide deposit about 15 000 t/y of copper cathode-equivalent production over about 10 years.
Design capacity is expected in 2018.
The $2.1-billion Aktogay mine is one of two major growth projects; the other being the $2.15-billion Bozshakol copper/gold mine, which should achieve design capacity later this year.
The group previously said it expected to produce between 235 000 t and 260 000 t of copper in 2017, as well as between 3.1-million ounces and 3.35-million ounces of silver and between 135 000 oz and 170 000 oz of gold.
The $ Aktogay and Bozshakol mines would enable KAZ Minerals to increase its production to about 300 000 t of copper in 2018.
Once Aktogay and Bozshakol have been ramped up, KAZ Minerals will consider Koksay as its third growth project. The deposit is located in south-eastern Kazakhstan and was bought for $260-million in 2014.