LONDON (Dow Jones)--The first copper cathode has been produced at the Tenke Fungurume copper-cobalt mine in Congo, Lundin Mining Corp. (LUN.T), one of its shareholders, said Tuesday.
Ramp up of copper production will continue over the next several months in parallel to completion of the cobalt circuit and acid plant.
Full production is initially slated at 115,000 metric tons of copper and 8,000 tons of cobalt, and is expected during the second half of the year.
Lundin has a 24.75% stake in Tenke, while Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc. (FCX) has a 57.75% stake and Congo's state-owned miner, Gecamines, holds the remainder.
-By Andrea Hotter, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0)20 7842 9413; andrea.hotter@ dowjones.com
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03-31-09 0939ET
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