JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Aim-listed London Mining beat its 2012 full-year production target, producing 1.52-million dry metric tons (dmt) of iron-ore concentrate.
This was mainly owing to a 46% increase in quarterly production at the company’s flagship Sierra Leone-based Marampa operation, the company reported on Thursday.
Quarterly production at Marampa reached 508 000 dmt iron-ore concentrate, with quarterly sales amounting to 387 000 wet metric tons, up 30% on that of the previous quarter.
The company attributed Marampa’s improved productivity levels to the engagement of a new mining contractor, as well as an improvement in plant availability and metallurgical recoveries.
Improved sales figures were bolstered by an upgraded shipment capacity following the commissioning of the Pride of Marampa floating offshore shipping platform.
London Mining also mobilised a second transshipment vessel, which was expected to arrive in Sierra Leone for commissioning later in the first quarter of this year. This would boost total installed transshipment capacity to 35 000 t/d.
Meanwhile, London Mining CE Graeme Hossie said the mechanical completion of its second 1.8-million-ton-a-year processing plant had been achieved. Commissioning of the plant was under way.
Plant capacity would be further increased to five-million tons a year following further equipment installations to increase beneficiation capacity in the third quarter of this year.