MINEX Forum

Tag: Copper Production

  • Aurubis Launches Modernized Tankhouse to Boost Copper Production in Lünen

    Aurubis Launches Modernized Tankhouse to Boost Copper Production in Lünen

    Aurubis officially celebrated the launch of the refurbished tankhouse for copper production at its recycling plant in Lünen, Germany. The modernized facility is set to increase production capacity by around 10%, enabling the production of up to 210,000 tons of copper cathodes annually. A €60 million investment was made to future-proof the tankhouse, ensuring the long-term success of the recycling site. This upgrade also allows for the processing of other metals, such as gold, tin, and nickel, alongside copper.

    “Global demand for raw materials is on the rise. As the largest multimetal recycling site in Europe, Lünen is a cornerstone of the circular economy. We’re delivering more responsibly produced metals to the market with our modernized tankhouse — for a successful energy transition, while strengthening and securing our core business at the same time,” said Inge Hofkens, COO of Multimetal Recycling at Aurubis AG.

    Construction on the tankhouse began in October 2020 and was completed on schedule. The upgrades included a complete refurbishment of the tankhouse basins, infrastructure improvements like a renovated roof, and investments in further automation, including state-of-the-art robot technology.

    “I am particularly proud of the fact that we were able to keep the facility running reliably at 80% while construction was ongoing. A great achievement by the whole team! Aurubis is advancing its pioneering role in recycling by investing in renovating the tankhouse,” said Verena von Weiss, Lünen Plant Manager.

    “This significant investment of €60 million is a clear signal of Aurubis’ commitment to the Lünen recycling site, to strong and efficient industry, to protecting the climate, and to safeguarding jobs and apprenticeships. Modern and responsible industrial companies like Aurubis are the foundation of our region’s prosperity,” said Lünen Mayor Jürgen Kleine-Frauns.

    The tankhouse represents the final step in the copper refining process. Copper anodes, weighing about 400 kg with a copper content of up to 98%, are electrochemically dissolved. The copper ions are deposited on stainless steel plates, resulting in 99.99% pure copper for optimal conductivity in downstream applications. Other substances in the anode, such as precious metals, precipitate out during electrolysis and are separated and refined in the Aurubis Group network.

  • KAZ Minerals Reports First Quarter Results for Current Year

    KAZ Minerals Reports First Quarter Results for Current Year

    In the first three months of this year, KAZ Minerals produced 94,000 tons of copper, according to a statement on the company’s Telegram channel. This marks an 8% decrease from the 102,000 tons produced in the fourth quarter of last year. The reduction in output was anticipated due to a forecasted decline in copper content in the mined ore. The company managed to partially offset the decrease by increasing its production capacity by 2%.

    Interestingly, from January to March, the copper mining company sold 103,000 tons of metal, 9% more than it produced. The significant reduction in product shipment times contributed to fewer shipments being classified as “in transit.” Additionally, sales of all by-products surpassed the figures from the fourth quarter of 2023.

  • Kazakhstan Sees Significant Increase in Non-Ferrous Metal Production in April 2024

    Kazakhstan Sees Significant Increase in Non-Ferrous Metal Production in April 2024

    In April 2024, Kazakhstan significantly boosted the production of various non-ferrous metals. The country extracted 13.84 million tons of copper ore and 57,000 tons of copper-zinc ore during the month. These figures represent an increase of nearly 7% and 3% respectively compared to the previous year.

    Between January and April, miners extracted 52.16 million tons of copper ore, an 8.2% rise from 2023 levels, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. In April alone, Kazakh companies produced 39,520 tons of unprocessed copper, up 8.4% year-on-year. Overall, nearly 160,000 tons of this metal were produced in the first four months of 2024, marking a 13.2% increase.

    The extraction of gold-bearing ores also showed positive growth in April. A total of 2.93 million tons were extracted, a slight increase of 1.3% from the previous year. The production of gold-bearing concentrates surged by 53.2% year-on-year, reaching approximately 34,000 tons. Additionally, the production of refined gold increased by 1.3 tons in April, nearly hitting the 6.5-ton mark, which is a 25.8% rise.

  • Aurubis AG Initiates Expansion Project to Boost Copper Production in Bulgaria

    Aurubis AG Initiates Expansion Project to Boost Copper Production in Bulgaria

    Aurubis AG, renowned as Europe’s leading refined copper producer, has embarked on a significant project at its Bulgarian smelter aimed at augmenting group copper production by approximately 110,000 metric tons, according to statements by its CEO.

    Roland Harings, CEO of Aurubis, disclosed plans to ramp up the output of copper cathodes at the Pirdop refinery in Bulgaria by 50%, targeting an annual production capacity of 340,000 tons. This endeavor forms part of a larger investment totaling 400 million euros ($429 million), with 120 million euros allocated specifically to expand the facility’s tankhouse, the final stage in the copper refining process.

    Anticipated to be completed by the latter half of 2026, the expansion initiative will enable the Pirdop plant to undertake comprehensive metal refinement locally, eliminating the need to dispatch initial metal stages, known as anodes, to Aurubis’ primary smelter network in Germany and Belgium.

    Harings emphasized the significance of this expansion in bolstering the group’s cathode production capacity, foreseeing a reduction in Europe’s reliance on copper imports, thus fostering positive developments for the continent’s industrial capacity. The surplus copper is slated to cater primarily to the European market, fueled by escalating demand propelled by trends such as renewable energy and electric vehicles.

    In addition to the expansion project, Aurubis has outlined plans for a comprehensive modernization of the Pirdop smelter during a scheduled large-scale maintenance shutdown in 2025. Furthermore, the company is spearheading efforts to enhance sustainability by integrating more solar power facilities at the site.

    Addressing concerns regarding metal theft at its Hamburg site, Harings expressed optimism that the associated costs would no longer impede the company’s earnings. Despite previous earnings reports being impacted by such incidents, Harings remains confident in Aurubis’ prospects, anticipating robust performance driven by favorable production levels and steadfast demand.

    “I continue to expect we will reach our target of pre-tax profits of between 380 and 480 million euros this fiscal year,” Harings affirmed.

  • Dundee Precious Metals Reports Strong Gold Production at Bulgarian Mines

    Dundee Precious Metals Reports Strong Gold Production at Bulgarian Mines

    Dundee Precious Metals (DPM), a Canada-based company, announced that its Bulgarian mine, Chelopech, maintained its robust performance by delivering 37,500 ounces of gold in the first quarter of 2024. Despite slightly lower copper production of 6.7 million pounds due to decreased copper grades, as outlined in a recent press release, Chelopech continues to demonstrate resilience. Additionally, DPM’s Ada Tepe mine in Bulgaria yielded 25,200 ounces of gold in the same period, aligning with expectations. Looking ahead, DPM anticipates total gold production ranging between 245,000 and 285,000 ounces for the year across both mines, with copper production estimated to fall between 29 and 34 million pounds. Both Chelopech and Ada Tepe remain on course to meet their production targets for the year, according to DPM’s projections. Notably, DPM extended the operational lifespan of its Chelopech mine until 2032 following revised mineral reserve assessments in November.

  • KAZ Minerals reduced copper production in the Eastern region and at Bozymchak

    KAZ Minerals reduced copper production in the Eastern region and at Bozymchak

    In the initial half of the current year, esteemed mining company KAZ Minerals experienced a reduction in copper production, amounting to 1.4 thousand tons, specifically in the Eastern region and at Bozymchak. This noteworthy information has been disclosed in the company’s comprehensive production and sales report.

    As per the provided data, KAZ Minerals extracted approximately 199.5 thousand tons of copper during the first six months of this year. Out of this, roughly 126.6 thousand tons were mined in Aktogai, around 50.2 thousand tons in Bozshakol, and 22.7 thousand tons in the Eastern region and at Bozymchak.

    Furthermore, during the second quarter of this year, the extraction in the Eastern region and at Bozymchak amounted to approximately 13.2 thousand tons. This signifies an increase of 3.7 thousand tons compared to the first quarter of this year. Additionally, KAZ Minerals observed a growth of 1.6 thousand tons in production when compared to the second quarter of 2022.

    However, it is important to note that the overall production in the Eastern region and at Bozymchak for the first half of this year experienced a decline of 1.4 thousand tons in comparison to the corresponding period of the previous year.

    For further context, KAZ Minerals Bozymchak stands as one of the leading industrial enterprises in Kyrgyzstan. The company is engaged in the development of the copper-gold ore deposit of Bozymchak, which boasts proven reserves of approximately 140 thousand tons of copper, nearly 23 tons of gold, and 144 tons of silver. It is worth mentioning that this esteemed entity is wholly owned by the Kazakh open joint-stock company, KAZ Minerals.

  • Zijin Mining to invest further $3.8 bln in Serbia copper project

    Zijin Mining to invest further $3.8 bln in Serbia copper project

    On September 11th, China’s Zijin Mining Group announced a substantial investment of $3.8 billion (3.5 billion euros) in the development of the Cukaru Peki Lower Zone mine within the Timok copper-gold project, situated in eastern Serbia, as disclosed by the government.

    Furthermore, a separate agreement has been finalized for a 300 MW solar power plant project, aimed at fulfilling the company’s energy requirements. This solar power plant investment stands at $200 million and will facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources into mining operations.

    Zijin had previously injected $678 million into the development of the Cukaru Peki mine, which commenced operations in 2021.

    These investments are expected to establish Serbia as a significant copper producer in Europe and a notable gold producer, while also creating opportunities for additional investments, as emphasized by the government.

    The Timok project comprises both the Cukaru Peki Upper Zone and Lower Zone and is strategically located within the central zone of the Timok Magmatic Complex (TMC) in the Serbian portion of the East European Carpathian-Balkan Arc. The TMC boasts one of the highest concentrations of copper enrichment within the Tethyan Belt.