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(Wallace Refiners) – Central Asia Metals (AIM: CAML) today provided a Q4 and full year 2020 operations update for the Kounrad dump leach, solvent extraction and electro-winning copper recovery project in Kazakhstan and the Sasa zinc-lead mine in North Macedonia.
The company reports that Kounrad’s Q4 2020 copper production of 3,365 tonnes brings output for 2020 to 13,855 tonnes, compared to 13,771 tonnes mined in 2019. Total Kounrad copper production since operations commenced in 2012 is now 110,100 tonnes.
CAML targets 2021 Kounrad copper production of between 12,500 and 13,500 tonnes of cathode.
The company also reports strong 2020 zinc and lead production at Sasa mine despite tailings storage facility 4 related shutdown. Sasa produced 23,815 tonnes of zinc and 29,742 tonnes of lead in 2020, a 2% increase for both metals compared to 2019 results.
At Sasa, CAML expects 2021 underground ore production of between 825,000 and 850,000 tonnes. This should result in zinc in concentrate of between 23,000 and 25,000 tonnes and lead in concentrate of between 30,000 and 32,000 tonnes.
CEO Nigel Robinson commented, “We are pleased to report strong production at both of our operations despite the challenges of 2020. We are also delighted to be able to report that CAML Group has recorded zero LTIs during 2020. Effective safety training and supervision for our employees will always be a priority and are crucial to maintaining this positive trend into 2021.”
“We enter 2021 with a strong balance sheet, having repaid $38.4 million of our corporate debt package during 2020, and we look forward to the year ahead in a period of improving metal prices,” continued Robinson.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Wallace Precious Metals The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Wallace Precious Metals nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Wallace Precious Metals and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
