By Shapi Shacinda
Lusaka - Zambia's Chibuluma Mines aims to produce 14 000 tons of finished copper in 2005 after investing $30-million to develop a new mining site, a senior mine official said on Monday.
Acting general manager Casper Strydom said the company was closing its old Chibuluma West mine as production shifts to the new Chibuluma South mine in the Copperbelt province of Zambia.
"Our aim is to raise copper ore production to 20 000 tons every month from the current 6 000 tons by August, and this will enable us to produce 14 000 tons of finished copper by the end of the year," Strydom told Reuters.
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The Chibuluma West mine, which began production in 1955, has finally come to the end of its economic life and will close down at the end of February, he added.
Strydom said the company had spent $30 million building the new facility at Chibuluma South, where finished copper production is expected rise to 15 166 tons in 2006 and further in coming years as additional improvements are made and new mining technology comes on line.
Strydom said Chibuluma was exploring other parts of its mining licence area to expand production, predicting staff cuts as new technologies were introduced but giving no further details.
South African mid-tier mining group Metorex bought Chibuluma in 1997 and invested undisclosed amounts of money to prolong the life of the mine.
Copper mining is Zambia's main economic lifeblood and the copper mines are also a major employer in this southern African country of 10-million people.
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