Exports from world's second-largest copper mine to drop 85%
Concentrate exports from Indonesia's Grasberg mine, the world's second-largest copper mine, will drop about 85% this year because of a lag in output while operations shift from open pit to underground mining, a government official said on Wednesday.
Shipments this year are expected to fall to 200,000 tonnes from an estimated 1.2 million tonnes last year, Yunus Saefulhak, director of minerals at Indonesia’s Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said.
US copper producer Freeport McMoRan (NYSE:FCX), operator of Grasberg, had warned the switch from the depleting open pit mine to an underground operation would hit output this year before ramping up production to normal levels — estimated in 160,000 tonnes per day of ore — by 2022.
Freeport yielded majority ownership of the Grasberg mine to state-owned PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) last month in a $3.9 billion deal that also saw Rio Tinto leave the venture. Inalum now owns 51.2% of PT Freeport Indonesia, and Freeport holds the remaining stake.
Grasberg, which is also the world’s fourth largest gold operation, is expected to produce around 1.2 million tonnes of copper concentrate this year, compared to 2.1 million tonnes in 2018, while domestic consumption will grow to 1 million tonnes compared to 800,000 tonnes in 2018, the Ministry said.
Grasberg’s Deep Mill Level Zone block cave mine, presently under construction, is projected to contribute an additional 80,000 tonnes per day of ore once at full capacity.
source: MINING.COM
Top News
Five last month
Two last year
Mali threatens to let Barrick mine permit lapse over dispute
China will hit peak copper around 2030, industry group says
Codelco suspends operations at copper refinery after worker’s death
Biden administration approves ioneer’s Nevada lithium mine
Could seaweed farms become the next generation of mines?
Gold price scales $2,800 amid US election uncertainty
El-Erian says soaring gold is driven by dollar diversification
US Energy Dept finalizes $2.26bn loan for Lithium Americas’ Nevada mine
Abandoned copper mines embraced as fast track to boost output
US Energy Dept finalizes $2.26bn loan for Lithium Americas’ Nevada mine
Abandoned copper mines embraced as fast track to boost output
Gold price scales $2,800 amid US election uncertainty
Nornickel raises 2024 production guidance for all metals
CHART: Copper price is being held hostage by Beijing
Nornickel raises 2024 production guidance for all metals
El-Erian says soaring gold is driven by dollar diversification
Gold stocks’ secular breakout
China will hit peak copper around 2030, industry group says
Mali threatens to let Barrick mine permit lapse over dispute
China will hit peak copper around 2030, industry group says
US Energy Dept finalizes $2.26bn loan for Lithium Americas’ Nevada mine
Abandoned copper mines embraced as fast track to boost output
Gold price scales $2,800 amid US election uncertainty
CHART: Copper price is being held hostage by Beijing
El-Erian says soaring gold is driven by dollar diversification
Gold stocks’ secular breakout
Mali threatens to let Barrick mine permit lapse over dispute
Millennial mining heirs bet the family business on Argentine copper