Zambia’s Copper Production Increase 18 Percent, January-August 2009
October 13th, 2009 | File Under : Companies - Copper - Mineral Exploration
Zambia’s copper production for the eight months to August 2009 rose 18 percent to 456,004 tonnes compared with the same period in 2008 due to ramp up in output by producers, the central bank said on Tuesday.
The Bank of Zambia (BoZ) said in a fortnightly report copper exports were recorded at 433,666 tonnes from January to August 2009 compared with 361,550 in the same period last year.
BoZ governor Caleb Fundanga told Reuters copper output was rising in Zambia, Africa’s largest producer of the metal, because most mines had invested heavily in new mining technology and equipment.
“This has secured production. The future looks very good because more mines are opening up and those that suspended operations are re-opening,” Fundanga told Reuters.
Some mines trimmed production in 2008 and early this year following low demand for metals as a result of the global economic meltdown and a power crunch that affected the country.
The bank said cobalt output fell to 2,456 tonnes from 3,088 tonnes last year, while exports were down to 2,529 tonnes in the same period this year compared with 3,105 tonnes during the eight months to August last year.
Analysts say cobalt output has been declining since 2008 following the closure of Chambishi Metals Plc, the country’s largest producer of the metal.
Copper mining earns Zambia around 63 percent of its total foreign exchange and the mines are a major employer in this country of 12 million people.
The country plans to raise copper output to 750,000 tonnes a year by 2010 from 662,000 tonnes this year, although the southern African country’s long term objective is to peak output at 1.0 million tonnes.
source :Reuters
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