| The TEX Report Topics < Ferro Alloys > | |
| HOME >> Topics List >> April, 2010 >> 30 (Fri) |
| Molybdenum Production By Codelco / Chile In CY 2009 Increased |
| = Produced 22,000 Tons On Mo Content Base As Increased By 7.8% Compared To That In 2008 |
|
Codelco of Chile produced 22,000 tons (48.5 million lbs.) of Mo in molybdenum concentrates in the calender year (January - December) of 2009, having increased by 7.8% compared with that (20,400 tons) in the preceding year of 2008. Mo content in ore, being mined at Codelco Norte Mine as the main mine for Codelco, has inclined to lower. Accordingly, Codelco produced 36,600 tons of Mo in molybdenum concentrates in 2005 but, after that, turned to continue a decrease of molybdenum production. Codelco Norte Mine produced 14,000 tons of Mo in molybdenum concentrates in 2009, which decreased by 47.8% compared to that (26,800 tons) produced at this mine in 2005 and fell to nearly half of the output in 2005. In the course of these years, Salvador Mine, Andina Mine and El Teniente Mine produced molybdenum concentrates on a pace of 1,000 - 5,000 tons of Mo content on an annualized base without a substantial change of their scale in molybdenum production. However, when the representative of Codelco came to Japan in last year, he referred to a forecast of molybdenum production as of the beginning of 2009 and said that Codelco would produce molybdenum in 2009 on a similar scale to that in 2008. Therefore, the actual quantity of Mo in concentrates produced by Codelco in 2009 had an increase from that in 2008. On the other hand, Codelco produced 1,702,000 tons of copper in 2009, having increased by 16.1% compared with that (1,466,400 tons) produced in 2008. Codelco Norte Mine produced 874,700 tons of copper in 2009 as increased by 15.8% from that in 2008 and a reduction of molybdenum production recovered as by-product was remarkable. The quantities of Mo in molybdenum concentrates produced by Codelco in 2009 and broken down by mines were as follows (unit : per metric ton on Mo content base and the figures in parentheses were those produced in 2008) ; <> Codelco Norte Mine : 14,000 tons (12,900 tons), <> Salvador Mine : 1,000 tons (900 tons), <> Andina Mine : 2,000 tons (2,100 tons), <> El Teniente Mine : 5,000 tons (4,500 tons) and <> Total : 22,000 tons (20,400 tons). For a reference, Codelco Norte Mine has targeted to commence commercial production of copper from 2018 by means of shifting Chuquicamata pit from opencut mining to underground mining and is now proceeding a feasibility study for this purpose. This project is estimated to invest US$1,800 million and scheduled to produce copper on a scale of 340,000 tons per annum. Also, the phase one at Andina Mine, which expands the capacity for copper production and invests US$979 million, is on schedule and completes in January - March quarter of 2010. Both of them are copper-molybdenum complex mines. |
| last modified : Mon 10 May, 2010 [11:17] |
