British miner Kaz Minerals plans to achieve its 280,000-300,000mt annual copper guidance for 2020, with an assumption of no further COVID-19 related shutdowns being implemented.
The Kazakhstan-focused company produced 230,000mt of copper in January-September, down by 5,000mt from the prior-year period. Kaz’s zinc concentrate output rose by 37pc in this period to 39,500mt, compared with 28,900mt in the first nine months of 2019.
During Q3 2020, copper production declined by 8.7pc to 76,200mt from 82,900mt produced in the same quarter last year. In June-September, zinc concentrate volumes rose by 50pc to 15,700mt, up from 10,500mt in Q3 2019.
Kaz Minerals was forced to shut its Bozymchak mine in Kyrgyzstan due to damage caused by political unrest in the nation on Oct 7. No further details regarding the matter have surfaced since the event.