First production emerges from newest copper mine

Motheo joins Khoemacau as the only operating mines on the Kalahari Copperbelt, the 1,000-kilometre swathe running southwest to northeast, which is known to contain millions of tonnes of copper and silver resources, but whose heavy sands and poor infrastructure have restrained development over the decades.

Sandfire’s executive country head for Botswana, Dale Burgess told BusinessWeek the new mine was ramping up to an expected target of 20,000 tonnes this year.