KAZ Minerals kept its 2020 production estimates for copper mining and zinc concentrates unchanged after reporting Q1 2020 outputs that are higher than last year’s.
The Kazakhstan-based minerals company said it’s keeping an eye on the evolving COVID-19 situation, but its mines and facilities remained operational in the interim. It added that production continued at the mines, albeit with additional health and safety measures in place for its workers.
In Q1 2020, the miner’s copper output increased by 7pc to 74.9kt (74,900mt) from 70kt during the same quarter last year, but decreased from 80.9kt in Q4 2019.
The company produced 9kt of zinc concentrate during the quarter, up from 6.2kt produced in Q1 2019, but down from 9.4kt produced in the previous quarter.
Group production summary
| Mineral | Output (in kt) | ||
| Q1 2020 | Q1 2019 | Q4 2019 | |
| Consolidated copper output | 74.9 | 70 | 80.9 |
| – Aktogay | 33.3 | 36.7 | 34.3 |
| – Bozshakol | 29.8 | 23.8 | 31 |
| – East Region & Bozymchak | 11.8 | 9.5 | 15.6 |
| Zinc concentrate | 9 | 6.2 | 9.4 |
The company also mines for gold and silver and increased the former’s output by 28pc during the quarter to 55.4koz from 43.4koz in Q1 2019.