Central Asia Metals plc (CAM) recorded a slight dip in production during the first quarter of 2021 at its Kounrad copper recovery plant in Kazakhstan and Sasa zinc-lead mine in North Macedonia.
In its operations report for Q1 2021, CAM also reported the first lost time injury at the end of March in more than 786 days due to an employee injuring his finger.
The miner added that there were a large number of Covid-19 cases at Sasa and in nearby towns as the weather improved and more social interaction took place.
The company’s full year guidance for 2021 is copper 12,500 to 13,500t; zinc in concentrate 23,000 to 25,000t; lead in concentrate 30,000 to 32,000t.
PRODUCTION
| Metal production (tonnes) | Q1 2021 | Q1 2020 |
| Copper | 2,880 | 3,201 |
| Zinc | 5,742 | 6,127 |
| Lead | 7,016 | 7,607 |
KOUNRAD
Copper production at Kounrad dump leach, solvent extraction and electro-winning (SX-EW) copper recovery plant was 2,880 tonnes (Q1 2020: 3,201t).
For the first time, 100% of the metal was leached from the Western Dumps during the winter period.
Copper sales during Q1 2021 were 2,875t.
SASA
During February, unplanned mill maintenance at Sasa resulted in a loss of production for up to four days.
Mined and processed ore were recorded at 207,704t and 210,413t respectively during Q1 2021.
Zinc in concentrate production was 5,742t (Q1 2020: 6,127t) and lead in concentrate production was 7,016t (Q1 2020: 7,607t).
The average head grades for the period were 3.23% zinc and 3.57% lead with metallurgical recoveries of 84.5% for zinc and 93.5% for lead.
During the quarter, 11,521t (Q1 2020: 12,315t) of concentrate containing 49.8% zinc and 9,730t (Q1 2020: 10,560t) of concentrate containing 72.1% lead were produced at Sasa.
| Units | Q1 2021 | Q1 2020 | |
| Ore mined | t | 207,704 | 207,788 |
| Plant feed | t | 210,413 | 210,664 |
| Zinc grade | % | 3.23 | 3.37 |
| Zinc recovery | % | 84.5 | 86.4 |
| Lead grade | % | 3.57 | 3.82 |
| Lead recovery | % | 93.5 | 94.5 |
| Zinc concentrate | t (dry) | 11,521 | 12,315 |
| – Grade | % | 49.8 | 49.8 |
| – Contained zinc | t | 5,742 | 6,127 |
| Lead concentrate | t (dry) | 9,730 | 10,560 |
| – Grade | % | 72.1 | 72.0 |
| – Contained lead | t | 7,016 | 7,607 |
Sasa typically receives from smelters some 84% of the value of its zinc in concentrate and 95% of the value of its lead in concentrate.
Accordingly, Q1 2021 payable production was 4,821t of zinc and 6,665t of lead.
Deliveries from Sasa to the smelters occur on a regular basis, therefore payable base metal in concentrate sales for the quarter were similar at 4,779t of zinc and 6,686t of lead.
Sasa sold 78,227 ounces of payable silver to Osisko Gold Royalties, in accordance with its streaming agreement.
Chief executive Nigel Robinson said that the company was pleased with the production achieved during the cold winter months but disappointed to record a lost time injury at Sasa.