Central Asia Metals posted a growth in zinc, copper and lead output in 2020. Output rose by 1-2pc from the prior year. The company has raised 2021 guidance for lead and lowered it for copper, while zinc output is expected ‘flat to up’ from the actual production levels in 2020.
Guidance for 2021
Central Asia Metals’ copper production guidance for 2021 is between 12,500-13,500mt, while total production in 2020 reported at 13,855mt. Guidance for zinc is 23,000-25,000mt against production of 23,815mt in 2020. For lead the company has projected output at 30,000-32,000mt. In 2020, lead output was 29,742mt.
Operational update
In 2020, the company’s copper production increased by 1pc to 13,855mt from the previous year. Zinc production rose by 2pc to 23,815mt and lead output increased to 29,742mt in 2020, up by 2pc from the previous year.
In Q4, the company reported a jump in zinc and copper production while lead output remained marginally low from the prior year quarter. In December quarter, the company reported a growth of 7pc in copper production at 3,365mt from the prior year while zinc output grew 3pc to 5,848mt. Lead production, however, dipped in Q4 by 1pc to 7,442mt from the prior year.
Central Asia Metals is a London-listed base metal company with copper operations in Kazakhstan and lead and zinc operations in North Macedonia.