Zambian Copper Mine to Restart Production

17 November 2009 (Last Updated November 17th, 2009 18:30)

Zambia-based Baluba copper mine will restart production on 15 December after completing renovation of its copper processing unit earlier in the month. China Non-Ferrous Mining Corporation (CNMC), which has a majority stake in the Baluba mine, has contributed $70m on work on the mine, wh

Zambia-based Baluba copper mine will restart production on 15 December after completing renovation of its copper processing unit earlier in the month.

China Non-Ferrous Mining Corporation (CNMC), which has a majority stake in the Baluba mine, has contributed $70m on work on the mine, which commenced blasting for copper in August.

CNMC spokesman Sydney Chileya told Reuters most of the work at the mine is finished but production cannot commence until rehabilitation of the concentrator, the plant's processing component.

Since December 2008 the mine has been shut for maintenance after exhausting all its developed underground reserves.

The initial production target would be 5,000t of copper ore per day with plans to increase annual finished copper output to 30,000t.