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(Alliance News) - Central Asia Metals PLC on Tuesday said it is on track to meet full year guidance for copper, zinc and lead following stable production in the third quarter of 2019.
The production and exploration company said copper production from Kounrad dump leach in Kazakhstan in the three months to the end of September was 4,039 tonnes, bringing output for the first nine months of 2019 to 10,633 tonnes, broadly flat compared to 10,686 tonnes delivered in the same period of 2018.
Kounrad copper sales during the third quarter of 2019 were 3,614 tonnes, bringing the total for the first nine months of the year to 10,075 tonnes.
During the period, Central Asia Metals said preparations for the forthcoming winter operating season were substantially completed. Capital works focussed on the extension of collector trenches around Dump 22, and modifications to the diameter of pipelines transferring solutions from the Western Dumps to the solvent extraction facility.
Turning to the Sasa zinc-lead mine in North Macedonia, the company said mined and processed ore in the third quarter totalled 207,016 tonnes and 210,237 tonnes, respectively, bringing the total for the first nine months of 2019 to 607,267 tonnes of ore mined and 614,777 tonnes of ore processed.
Sasa produces a zinc concentrate and a separate lead concentrate, Central Asia Metals explained. In the third quarter, 12,385 tonnes of concentrate containing 50% zinc and 10,245 tonnes of concentrate containing 72% lead were produced.
Total production for the first nine months of 2019 was 17,703 tonnes of zinc, up 5.6% from 16,762 tonnes mined a year prior, while 21,718 tonnes of lead was 1.2% less than 21,988 tonnes produced a year prior.
"I am pleased that we have once again delivered on track production from Sasa and Kounrad, and to report that we have had no lost time injuries at either operation during the third quarter of 2019," said Chief Executive Nigel Robinson.
Central Asia Metals shares were trading 1.5% lower on Tuesday in London at 200.00 pence each.
By Evelina Grecenko; evelinagrecenko@alliancenews.com
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