Photo by: Bloomberg
TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Diversified base metals miner Lundin Mining has started copper and nickel concentrate production at its only US mine, the slightly-less-than $400-million Eagle project, in Michigan.
The miner on Tuesday announced that construction activities were now substantially complete, with the project being delivered on budget and ahead of schedule.
“We are extremely proud of the tremendous achievement that has been accomplished at the Eagle mine. The Eagle mine is a significant new, high-quality, low-cost mine, that has been constructed to the highest of safety, environmental and social responsibility standards,” president and CEO Paul Conibear said.
He added that the mine was expected to become a significant cash-flow generator for the company and a significant contributor to the local and regional economy.
The mine planned to ship first saleable concentrates during the first half of next month, and was expected to reach full design rates in the second quarter of 2015.
Lundin expected the Eagle mine to produce on average about 23 000 t/y of nickel and 20 000 t/y of copper contained in concentrate over the first three full years of operation.