:: BHP Billiton Approves Spence  

BHP Billiton has announced the approval of the US$990 milliom Spence copper project in northern Chile. The project will have a design capacity of 200 kt of copper cathode per annum and a life of 19 years. First production is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2006. Spence contains proven and probable reserves of 310 Mt at an average grade of 1.14% copper. Oxide and sulphide ores will be treated by chemical and bacterial heap leaching respectively, and the leach solutions processed in separate solvent-extraction (SX) plants. The solutions from SX will be treated in a single electrowinning plant.