Global Copper mine production declines two percent

UNITED STATES May 30 2017 1:35 PM

LONDON (Scrap Register): Global copper mine production is estimated to have declined by around 2% in the first two months of 2017, with concentrate production declining by around 1% and solvent extraction-electrowinning (SX-EW) declining by 5%, according to the latest figures released by the International Copper Study Group (ICSG).

The decline in global copper mine production was mainly due to a 10% decline in Chilean mine production negatively affected by the strike at Escondida mine and lower output from Codelco mines.

A decline in Canada and Mongolia concentrates production of 19% and 23%, respectively, mainly due to lower grades in planned mining sequencing.

A 10% decline in Indonesian concentrate production as output was constrained by a temporary ban on concentrate exports that started in January and ended in April.

However overall decline was partially offset by an 18% and 15% rise in Mexican (concentrate and SX-EW) and Peruvian (concentrate) output, respectively, both countries benefiting from new and expanded capacity that was not yet fully available in the same period of last year.

On a regional basis, production rose by 5% in Europe (including Russia) and 10% in Oceania while declining by 4% in the Americas and 6% in Africa, and remaining essentially unchanged in Asia.