After shutting down for a month to allow maintenance works, operations at Konkola Copper Mine’s (KCM) Nchanga smelter in Chingola have resumed.
KCM undertook maintenance works at the Nchanga smelter to boost production, and operations at the facility had since resumed, after successfully completing the exercise.
Vedanta Resources chief executive officer Tom Albanese said in the interim results of the six months ended September 30, 2014 that KCM was keen to ramp up production at the Zambian unit.
Mr Albanese said during the period under review, mined metal production was at 59,000 tonnes, 15 per cent lower than the corresponding prior year period.
The company, he said, planned to reach 120,000 tonnes at the end of the current financial year.
He explained that the company had been implementing various interventions to improve performance.
On the issue of Value Added Tax (VAT) refunds and the proposed new tax regime for mines, Mr Albanese said KCM would continue dialogue with the Zambian Government.
Zambia owes local copper mining companies $600m in unpaid VAT refunds, raising concerns among affected copper mining houses.