Xstrata Copper's Lomas Bayas operation, located in northern Chile, has completed construction and commenced commissioning on scheduleof its USD 300 million Lomas II project to extend the mine life by 16 years, until at least 2028, at existing production levels of 75,000 tonnes of copper cathodes per annum.
The Lomas II project involved the development of the Fortuna de Cobre open pit, located three kilometres from the operation's original mine and infrastructure, and the construction of a new primary crusher, conveyor transport system and new heap and run-of-mine (ROM) leach pads. Copper cathodes are produced using the existing Lomas Bayas SX-EW plant.
During the project's construction we employed more than 4,500 people and delivered over 100,000 hours of technical and safety training. In operation, Lomas II will add around 50 permanent positions to Lomas Bayas' existing workforce of approximately 1,850 people including employees and contractors.
Mr Charlie Sartain CEO of Xstrata Copper said that "I am delighted that we have been able to successfully complete this project to extend the life of Lomas Bayas, one of the world's lowest grade mining operations. The Lomas II project team has achieved this with a commendable safety performance, recording only one lost time injury in over 3.7 million man hours and a Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate of 1.07 per million hours worked. Through the Lomas Bayas operation, we will continue to make a significant contribution to local communities, the Antofagasta Region and the country with continued regional employment, investment in social projects and partnerships, opportunities for local suppliers and enterprise development and fiscal payments to government."
"This is a great achievement by the Lomas Bayas team and wraps up a remarkable year for Xstrata Copper in which we have commissioned four major projects on schedule and in line with budget, establishing a solid platform for strong long term production and significant production growth from our operations in 2013."