JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Kenmare Resources delivered strong production from its Moma titanium minerals mine, in Mozambique, in the first half of this year, with all production metrics higher than in the first half of 2016.
Heavy minerals concentrate production increased by 18% year-on-year to 712 700 t, while ilmenite output rose 25% year-on-year to 504 800 t.
Zircon production increased by 32% year-on-year to 37 700 t, comprising 25 700 t of primary zircon output and 12 000 t of secondary zircon output. Rutile production was up 47% year-on-year to 4 400 t.
“Good progress is being made to increase the production of primary zircon and the average quality of these products. These improvements drive increased margins for the business, which is also benefiting from substantially higher average received prices in comparison to 2016,” MD Michael Carvill commented on Wednesday.
Kenmare, which is listed on the LSE’s Aim and the Irish Stock Exchange, is targeting full-year output of 950 000 t to 1.05-million tonnes of ilmenite, 72 000 t to 83 000 t of zircon and 9 000 t to 10 000 t of rutile.
Shipments, meanwhile, increased by 21% year-on-year to 535 700 t.