Industry News/Production

摘要

On the 5~(th) December, Equinox Minerals Limited announced that it had produced its first copper concentrates at its Lumwana mine in Zambia. Lumwana should produce 100,000t of copper-in-concentrate in 2009 and has a capacity of 120,000t/y of copper in concentrate. On 28~(th) November, OZ Minerals requested a Trading Halt to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) as the company was required to ask for an extension of two of its current debt facilities, which are worth USS420M and 140MILLION US dollars each. The company has been undergoing negotiations with the lenders in order to extend the payments dates. The company had aimed to refinance both facilities by 30~(th) November 2008 but has requested an extension to 31~(st) January 2009. Trading in company shares has been suspended until the re-financing is arranged. OZ Minerals is developing the Prominent Hill copper mine in Australia, which is expected to start producing some 100,000t of copper-in-concentrate per annum in January 2009. It is possible it may have to sell all or part of the mine to help raise funds.