Copper Mountain Mining Corporation announces that the first filtered copper concentrate was produced and deposited in the mine concentrate shed on June 30.
Commissioning of the mill has progressed throughout the past month demonstrating that the robust mechanical equipment is operating well.
Mill throughput is at about 70 percent of the designed capacity due to the limits in moving ore through the SAG mill. The grates supplied with the mill are limiting the tonnage throughput due to undersizing of the grate openings. New grates with much larger openings are on order for mid August delivery and installation to eliminate this tonnage restriction.
Presently the processing plant is operating with one of the two ball mills and minor use of the pebble crusher which indicates the plant will easily treat the designed 35,000 tonnes per day target once the new grates are installed in mid August.
Mill feed grade is being intentionally kept low with higher grade ore being stockpiled for treatment after the tune up phase is completed.
The new 50-tonne super B train truck units have commenced delivery of concentrate to the port. Port facilities have been completed to handle the truck discharging and storage which included the construction of a new truck tipper sufficient in size to handle the new 50-tonne super B train truck units.