Amerigo Resources expects to produce 27,669mt of copper at its Minera Valle Central (MVC) operation in Chile in 2021.
The copper miner anticipates production will be stronger in the first half of the year as MVC, along with El Teniente, conducts a yearly stoppage in September or October. The company projects eight days of production will be lost during that time resulting in a slight reduction in its H2 2021 output.
MVC’s plant optimization programs are scheduled to be completed by the end of Q2 2021 with certain activities rolling into Q3. Production targets for 2021 do not take the output from its ongoing projects into consideration, Amerigo noted in a news release.
MVC produced 25,483mt of copper in 2020, 1pc lower than the company’s Q3 2020 guidance and 19.5pc under 31,650mt produced in 2019.
The copper operation produced 7,462mt of copper in Q4 2020 representing a 12pc increase from 6,659mt produced in Q3 2020. The improved copper output during the fourth quarter was due to increased tonnage processed from fresh tailings along with a reduced amount from Cauquenes, Amerigo indicated.
The company also benefitted from more operating days at Cauquenes, although it experienced recovery levels below expectations, to end the fourth quarter at 3pc under Q3’s forecast.