Copper 360 Revives Copper Production in Northern Cape with First Shipment in 21 Years
Copper 360 has successfully shipped the first batch of copper concentrate from the Northern Cape copper province, marking the region's return to copper production after a 21-year hiatus. This milestone was achieved with the commissioning of the MFP 2 (Nama Copper plant), recently acquired by the company.
During the initial three-week commissioning phase, the plant produced 136 tonnes of copper concentrate, demonstrating the potential of the new operation. Impressively, the concentrate achieved grades exceeding 30%, which Copper 360 describes as world-class. The company projects that the plant will produce over 1,000 tonnes of concentrate per month within the next three months, advancing two months ahead of the original schedule.
Further expanding its operations, Copper 360 plans to initiate production at its second concentrate plant, MFP 1, by the end of July 2024. This plant is expected to contribute an additional 1,400 tonnes of concentrate per month.In addition to concentrate, Copper 360's SX/EW plant, which produces copper cathode, also reported high performance with a production of 60 tonnes of pure copper metal in March 2024. The company anticipates increasing this output to 100 tonnes per month in the upcoming quarter.
Jan Nelson, CEO of Copper 360, expressed pride in this significant achievement, noting it as the start of a new era for copper production in South Africa. "Copper 360 is not only proud to reintroduce copper concentrate production to this region after two decades but also to establish itself as the only producer of copper cathode in the area," Nelson said. He highlighted the support from the community and the dedication of the team as pivotal to their success.
Copper 360 stands as South Africa's only listed pure copper producer and the first major copper producer in the Namaqualand region for over two decades, signaling a robust return of South Africa to the global copper production scene. The company is now focused on escalating production levels and anticipates further updates on its operational progress soon.
