Weatherly International Plc Regulatory News (WTI)

24 Apr 2007 12:18

Weatherly International PLC24 April 2007 Weatherly International plc ("Weatherly" or "the Company") Production Update Weatherly International plc, the AIM-quoted integrated mining group, is pleasedto announce plans for the early restart of its concentrator at Tsumeb in Namibiato take full advantage of current copper prices. The Tsumeb concentrator, one of three feeding the company's smelter at Tsumeb,is expected to resume operations in May, ahead of the June target date. It will be fed by two mines in the Tsumeb area, initially Tsumeb West which hasbeen stockpiling ore for the past month, followed by Tschudi which is nearingproduction. Until now, Weatherly's copper production has been from only twomines, Otjihase and Matchless, both located in the Windhoek area. Commencementof operations at Tsumeb will be the first major step towards raising copperoutput above existing levels. Work is also continuing at Weatherly's Kombat West mine, where the company isdewatering the underground workings which have been flooded since November 2005.Progress has been slower than anticipated, and a return to production is nowexpected by the end of 2007, by which time a significant resource base will havebeen established. This will be the final step in achieving the company's statedtarget of 20,000 tonnes of copper per annum from its own mines, now expected bythe end of 2007. Drilling of surface resources east of the Kombat West shaft continues. Theobjective is to delineate sufficient resources to underpin a major open pitoperation which would be in addition to the commencement of the undergroundoperations referred to above. Copper blister production from the Tsumeb smelter continues at full capacitywith Weatherly's own mine production being supplemented by concentrates importedfrom Zambia, Mauritania, and more recently Bulgaria. For further information contact: Weatherly International plcJohn Norris +44 (0) 20 7917 2989 Libertas Capital Corporate FinanceJonathan Flory/Stephen Pickup +44 (0) 20 7569 9650 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange