Copper exports make surprise return

Mbongeni Mguni | Thursday May 28, 2020 22:05

 

Copper exports make surprise return

Since BCL and Tati Nickel’s closure in that year, the country’s copper and nickel exports have consisted of marginal amounts associated with trades in stockpiles and other transactions by the liquidator of the two mines.

However, Khoemacau Copper Mine, located on the Kahalari Copperbelt, is churning out increasing amounts of the base metal and in the quarter leading to March was able to export from its operations in the northwest. According to Statistics Botswana data, the March 2020 exports of copper combine some stockpiles and what was mined during the month at Khoemacau. 

Statisticians said the export values from Khoemacau were expected to fall from the March level in the coming months as they may not include stockpiles. Khoemacau’s stockpiles include reserves from the nearby Boseto Mine it took over in a July 2015 deal. 

Khoemacau is ramping up to a target production of 62,000 tonne per annum.