Diversified mining giant BHP Billiton yesterday announcemarble grinding vertical mill made in france
d that it would restart sulphide-mining operations at its Tintaya copper mine in southern Peru during August.
This follows the approval of a new mine plan and a review of projected copper market conditions.
Shipments of copper concentrates from Tintaya are expected to restart in early 2004.
The companys says that production from Tintaya was originally curtailed in January 2002 due to rising global copper inventory levels and a belief that reducing production during this period of low demand would enhance the long-term value of BHP Billiton's copper business.
President of BHP Billiton Base Metals Brad Mills said, "The new mine plan at Tintaya will reduce operating costs to a level that makes it very competitive in the global copper industry.
“We believe the demand fundamentals of the copper market are improving such that metal produced from Tintaya's concentrate production will be needed by the second quarter of next year, when the first refined metal becomes available".
Tintaya is capable of producing 90 000 t of copper contained in concentrate a year.
It is currently producing 34 000 t of copper cathode a year from its oxide SX-EW operations.