US $ 180 MILLION MINE LIFE-SPAN EXTENSION PROJECT STARTS AT KCM

Mining giant, Konkola Copper Mines plans to extend the life-span of its Nchanga operation, meaning they will be around in Zambia for at least 25 years to come.

This will be in a project, which the mining company says it has already 70 million dollars of the total 180 million dollars.

Company CEO, Jayekumar Janakaraj says the lifespan of the Chingola open-pit mining operations will be extended by more than 25 years.
The CEO has stated that the Vedanta Resources-owned mine will also invest in latest technology in in the life-span extension programme.

Currently, KCM says it has accessed an upper copper-ore body, where it is trial mining, with production expected to commence by November this year.

The CEO has explained that the total cost of the project is 180 million dollars and it is expected to add 35,000 tonnes of copper per annum to KCM's output.

KCM has previously stated broader plans to increase production from the 200,000 metric tonnes for the 2011-2012 financial year, when it brings on board the deep mining project.

The deep mining project, which will be complete this December will help advance KCM’s production to 400,000 metric tonnes in the next 5 years.