African Copper Plc: Production Update
02.04.2012 | Marketwire
LONDON, April 2, 2012 - African Copper Plc (AIM: ACU) (BOTSWANA: AFRICAN COPPER) ("ACU" or the "Company"), the AIM and Botswana listed copper producer and exploration company, announces a production update for its Mowana and Thakadu Mines.The majority of ore processed at the Mowana processing facility during March 2012 was sourced from the higher grade Thakadu mine where mining operations are moving closer to sulphide ore. Trucking operations from Thakadu to Mowana also improved with a total of 80,521 tonnes being moved. Together, these factors combined to effect a significant improvement over February 2012 where production was constrained by trucking operations and plant availability.
Recent production levels are set out below:
Description March
2012 February
2012 January
2012 October
to December
2011
Ore processed (Mt) 72,829 41,273 63,592 168,739
Cu grade (%) 2.05 2.18 2.00 2.10
Recovery (%) 54.9 36.1 42.7 49.0
Concentrate produced(Mt) 3,620 1,641 2,622 7,498
Copper produced in concentrate (Mt) 809 324 543 1,747
With many of the capital improvement initiatives at Mowana completed, production in March 2012 achieved management's targeted levels. Investors are cautioned that while March production was positive, the operations must achieve these levels over a continuous period to ensure that targeted levels of production are achieved on a sustainable basis.
The technical information in this announcement has been reviewed and approved by David De'Ath, BSc (Hons), MSc, GDE-Mining, MIMM and MAusIMM, the Company's Manager, Geology, of the Mowana Mine for the purposes of the current Guidance Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies issued by the London Stock Exchange in June 2009.
For further information please visit www.africancopper.com
Notes to Editors:
African Copper Plc is an AIM and Botswana listed copper producer and exploration company, currently focused on Botswana. The Company's flagship project is the copper producing open pit Mowana Mine. ACU also owns the rights to the adjacent Thakadu-Makala deposit. Both deposits are situated on the highly prospective Matsitama belt, located close to Botswana's second largest city, Francistown, in the north-eastern part of the country.
This announcement contains forward-looking information. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future including, without limitation, statements regarding progress towards reaching sustained commercial production levels, positive indications at Thakadu of sulphide ore availability, the stage of development and resulting improvements to efficiency relating to planned upgrades are forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, risks related to failure to convert estimated mineral resources to reserves, conclusions of economic evaluations, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, the possibility that actual circumstances will differ from the estimates and assumptions used in the current Thakadu mining plan, future prices of copper, unexpected increases in capital or operating costs, possible variations in mineral resources, possible delays or ability to contract the necessary transportation arrangements between Thakadu and Mowana, grade or recovery rates, failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental consents, permits, licences and registrations and political risks arising from operating in Africa and changes in regulations affecting the Company. All forward-looking information speaks only as of the date hereof and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that its expectations reflected in the forward-looking information, as well as the assumptions inherent therein, are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and, accordingly, undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein.
Contact Information
African Copper Plc
Brad Kipp, Chief Financial Officer
+1 (416) 847 4866
bradk@africancopper.com
www.africancopper.com
Tavistock Communications (PR and IR)
Simon Hudson/Lydia Eades
+44 (0) 20 7920 3150
Canaccord Genuity (NOMAD and Broker)
Andrew Chubb/Tarica Mpinga
+44 (0) 20 7050 6500