LUSAKA, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Canada's First Quantum Minerals
FM.TO on Friday launched production at its $2.1 billion copper
Sentinel mine which has been under construction since June 2012.
The mine would produce 280,000 to 300,000 tonnes of copper
per year at full production from one large low-grade ore body
containing 0.51 percent copper, First Quantum said.
Ramp up to commercial production levels at Sentinel was
expected to begin after state power utility Zesco connected
electricity to the mine by September, it said.
Although this year and next would be challenging for many
mines in Zambia and globally due to low commodity prices, First
Quantum hoped to overcome that by improving efficiency, it said.
"The planned 55,000,000 tonnes per annum ore throughput at
the new Sentinel mine necessitates the latest in modern mining
methods," it said.
At full production Sentinel would employ 1,788 employees
directly through First Quantum subsidiary Kalumbila Minerals Ltd
and a further 1,276 contractor jobs created by the new mine, it
said.