At the end of 2022, Kazakhstani KAZ Minerals increased its copper production by 27% compared to last year. In just a year, the company produced 380 thousand tons of non-ferrous metal.
As the subsoil user notes, the growth in indicators is primarily due to an increase in production at the first and second sulphide concentrators in Aktogay. In Q4 2022, the company produced 98 kt of copper, down 10% compared to Q3, due to plant maintenance at the Bozshakol mine.
Sales of metal for the year exceeded the volume of output: the company partially sold warehouse stocks on the market. The company is going to sell the remaining copper from the reserves before the end of this year.
KAZ Minerals produces not only non-ferrous, but also precious metals. During the year, the enterprise received 171 thousand ounces of gold (+2% compared to 2021). Specialists explained the small increase in production by the high coefficient of extraction and processing of raw materials from Bozshakol, where the content of the precious metal in the ore is higher.
The volume of silver production for the year also increased: from 3.4 to 3.8 million ounces.