PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Las Bambas operation, in Peru, has set a new copper production record for base metals miner MMG, with production in the March quarter reaching 111 314 t.
The March quarter production was a 6% improvement on the fourth quarter of 2016, and has delivered its third consecutive quarter of production above nameplate capacity since achieving commercial production in June last year.
Total copper production for the March quarter increased by 5% on the previous quarter, to 111 684 t, with the Rosebery operation, in Tasmania, also contributing 343 t during the quarter under review.
Meanwhile, copper-in-cathode production for the three months to March was down 16% on the previous quarter, to 36 199 t, as production from the Sepon project, in Laos, suffered declining grades and more complex ore.
MMG on Friday reported that zinc production for the quarter was down 3% on the fourth quarter of 2016, to 19 146 t, while lead production increased by 6% to 6 253 t.
Looking at the full year, MMG expected to produce between 560 000 t and 615 000 t of copper and between 65 000 t and 72 000 t of zinc.