PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Copper cathode production from the Kipoi project, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, increased by 17% in the September quarter, owner Tiger Resources has reported.
Copper cathode production increased to 6 491 t, from 5 541 t in the previous quarter.
The higher production is the result of increased pregnant liquor solution being available for processing in the solvent extraction and electrowinning plant, with the solution flow improvement attributed to the start of leaching from Pad 6-1 and the scarifying and increased acid treatment of Pad 5-1.
A record 414 339 t of ore was stacked on the heap leach pads during the quarter under review.
Meanwhile, sales during the quarter reached 6 656 t of copper cathode, at a realised price of A$4 776/t.
Tiger recently downgraded its copper cathode production expectations for the full year, following the seepage of process solution from its intermediate leach solutions pond at Kipoi. Full-year targets were lowered from between 25 000 t and 26 500 t, to between 23 000 t and 23 600 t.
Cash operating costs for the full year will increase from the initial estimate of between $1.40/lb and $1.46/lb, to between $1.49/lb and $1.52/lb.