Freeport Indonesia to process 400,000t of copper concentrate at new smelter
Earlier this month, Freeport obtained an export permit for the rest of the year from the government.
Zambia, Africa’s top copper producer, has lifted an environmental ruling that forced First Quantum Minerals (TSX:FM)(LON:FQM) to halt work at its Chisolo dam at the miner’s $1.7-billion Sentinel copper project last May.
According to the Metal Bulletin (subs. required) the dike is vital for the supply of water to both the Vancouver-based company’s Sentinel copper mine and its planned Enterprise nickel project.
Sentinel is expected to come on stream by the mid-2014 and produce around 270,000 to 300,000 metric tons of copper a year in its initial six years of operations.
The Canadian firm already operates Kansanshi mine, Zambia’s largest copper mine by output.