First production at Quellaveco project in Peru, which has the capacity to generate 300,000 tonnes of copper annually in its first 10 years of operation, is expected in 2022.

The GSR robot had been operating at a depth of 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.

The next big piece of work on tailings is the implementation guidance, said former International Council on Mining and Metals chief executive.

The Global Tailings Review (GTR) released last year the first-ever Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management, aimed at strengthening current best practices around tailings dams in the mining sector.

Company is looking for useful ways to use the benign tail that is left behind.

Standards are definitely improving with more automatization, control and monitoring, says Amphos21 general manager.

Operating earnings at the firm rose to 1.87 billion Swedish crowns ($223.2 million) from 1.93 billion a year earlier.

The acquisition is being done through Nordenham Metall GmbH, which will take over all personnel.