:: KCM Commissions $100m Nchanga Concentrator

Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) has commisioned a new US$100 million East Mill Concentrator at Nchanga integrated business unit (NIBU) in Chingola aimed at enhancing the company’s operations.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony on Wednesday afternoon, KCM chief executive officer Jeyahumar Janakaraj said the new concentrator would reshape the way KCM runs its operations.

Mr Jenakaraj said the new East Mill concentrator would add a complete new dimension to the company’s operations. "You may wish to know that the existing East Mill of the Nchanga concentrator located near the Nchanga Open Pit has been incurring huge maintenance costs, with low metal recoveries”. "Therefore the new facility we are referring to as ‘East Mill II’ for grinding and milling, will improve plant availability and metal recoveries by nearly 15 per cent, apart from reducing operational costs," Mr Janakaraj said.

The new concentrator fits into KCM’s plans to prevent pollution at the source by installing systems to contain any environmental hazards.

He said the concentrator was just another step in the numerous milestones KCM had achieved since Vedanta Resources took over the running of the mining company a couple of years ago.

Mr Janakaraj said the Nchanga smelter was the only one in Africa with modern technology, which captures 99.8 per cent sulphur dioxide and only the third in the world, with the two other similar smelters in Poland and Australia. "I must hasten to mention here that KCM is a long-term investor in Zambian mining sector and will continue to invest in this industry and our overall future objective to reach 400,000 tonnes annual copper production remains on course," he said.

Source:
Times of Zambia

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