JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Aim-listed African Copper lifted copper in concentrate production from its Botswana mines by 91% to 3.08-million tons in the first quarter of its 2014 financial year, the company reported on Monday.

During the quarter, ore processed increased by 5% to 181 233 metric tons (Mt), compared with 171 908 Mt in the same period in the previous financial year, while copper recovery increased to 83.6%, compared with 50.7% during the previous corresponding period.

Following a mill relining in April, vibrations were experienced in the mill that necessitated a production halt for three days to rectify lost production. Recoveries in April were 61.8%, as a result of a small quantity of stockpiled oxide ore being processed.

However, May results were considerably better, with 89.9% recovery and production at 1.41-million tons of copper in concentrate, following a return to only sulphide ore being processed. In June, ore processed fell owing to a shortage of process water.

"In May 2013, we reported strong final year results with record copper production from the Mowana facilities. I am delighted to say that this has been maintained in the first quarter of fiscal year 2014. We continue to improve the plant and operations and this is being demonstrated by the production reported today," African Copper acting CEO Jordan Soko said.

He added that all of the ore processed at the Mowana facilities during the quarter was sourced from the higher-grade Thakadu mine and that during the first week of July, African Copper successfully installed and commissioned a new primary crusher, which was running at design capacity of 350 t/h.

During the reporting period, the proportion of sulphide ore processed increased to 92% of the total, from 80% in the previous quarter, as a consistent sulphide area of the Thakadu pit was mined.

Mining operations at the Mowana mine pit were planned to start during the second quarter of the current financial year, with a production ramp up linked to mining volume reduction at Thakadu, as the resource moved towards depletion around the middle of the 2014 calendar year.

Meanwhile, exploration drilling continued during the fourth quarter in the greater Nakalakwana area, targeting iron-oxide/copper/gold mineralisation in the Matsitama exploration licence and in the near vicinity of Thakadu mine to find additional mineable resources to add to the company's existing reserves.