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Antofagasta to expand Los Pelambres copper mine

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As reported by Reuters, the board of directors of Chilean miner Antofagasta has approved a US$1.3 billion expansion of the company’s flagship Los Pelambres copper mine in Chile.

Antofagasta’s Chief Executive, Ivan Arriagada, told Reuters in an interview today that the expansion will produce additional ore equal to an extra 60 000 tpy of refined copper over the first 15 years of the expansion project, lifting the mine’s output for the first time in over a decade.

Construction will start in January, Arriagada said, with the work involving adding an extra milling line and a desalination plant. The company has previously said production would start in 2021.

“It’s a very important project for us. It’s putting Pelambres back into growth after 14 years and we’re very excited about this,” Arriagada said.

The comments come as global miners are gathered for the annual Asia Copper Week in Shanghai, where they are negotiating benchmark treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) to process their copper concentrate into refined metal.

Chile is the world’s biggest copper producer, while China is the top consumer of the metal.

The Pelambres expansion will increase treatment capacity from 175 000 tpd to 190 000 tpd of ore, Arriagada said. “In terms of fine copper, copper-contained, it’s going to be 60 000 tonnes extra per year ... which is around a 15% increase in production,” he said.

On a company level, Antofagasta has forecast copper output at 705 000 to 725 000 t this year, rising to 750 000 to 790 000 t in 2019 on higher ore grades at its Centinela and Zaldívar mines.

In China, a key market, Arriagada sees strong growth of 5 – 6% in refined copper consumption this year, helped by some “temporary tail winds.”

These include the possibility of consumption in the manufacturing sector being brought forward to avoid potential new tariffs on exports to the United States next year, as well as a boost from Chinese economic stimulus, he explained.

“But if you remove those temporary factors we still believe core consumption is growing at rates of 2 – 2.5%,” he added, projecting 2% growth next year.

The direct impact on China’s copper demand from the trade row with the US will be limited because 80% of the copper China imports stays in the country, Arriagada said.

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/finance-business/15112018/antofagasta-to-expand-los-pelambres-copper-mine/

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