Canadian miner, Teck Resources has suspended its zinc and lead production guidance for 2020 at Red Dog mine, Alaska amid the ongoing uncertainty due to COVID-19 pandemic. In their December quarter result, the company had pegged 2020 zinc production guidance between 600,000mt-640,000mt, of which 500,000-535,000mt was the estimated output from Red Dog Mine. Lead production guidance was set between 95,000-100,000mt.
In Q1 2020 (Jan-March) zinc and lead output from Red Dog mine rose by 17pc and 23pc, respectively. Zinc output stood at 128,400mt and lead output was 23,300mt. The increase in production was driven by higher mill throughput and modernised technology offsetting lower grades and recoveries.
Refined zinc production rose by 4500mt to 78,700mt in the first quarter of 2020. Production in Q1 2019 was lower due to oxygen plant maintenance. Refined lead production was 19,100mt in Q1 2020, largely unchanged from the prior-year quarter.