KCM’s 2013 output sharply declines

Vedanta Resources has posted 19% lower fourth-quarter copper output from its Zambia operations on the back of lower ore production at its Konkola and Nchanga underground mines.

The company’s copper output l for the three months to March reached 27 000 tones, compared with the 33 000 tones reported in the corresponding quarter last year.

The company explained in a statement that production at Konkola was affected by unscheduled stoppages at shafts 1 and 4, with the mid-shaft level of Shaft 4 resuming operations during the quarter and Shaft 1 becoming operational in the first week of April.

The full-year mined metal production, at 128 000 tones, was lower than the 159 000 tones recorded last year, owing to the suspension of mining operations at the Chingola open pit since January 2013.

“We are focused on increasing volumes at the Konkola mine, with recent progress made towards augmenting talent in the underground mining team and implementing productivity improvement measures,” Vedanta said in a statement.

Output of mined metal content of copper at its Konkola mine in Zambia was down 19 per cent, while finished copper production declined 18 per cent. Copper ore production at the Konkola and Nchanga underground mines was lower, it said.

It added, “We are focused on increasing volumes at KCM, with recent progress made towards augmenting talent in the underground mining team, and implementing productivity improvement measures, custom volumes remained constrained by blending challenges and underlying commercial issues of recovery of VAT credit from the Zambian government.”