Atlas expects copper output to rise this yr

MANILA, Philippines - Listed Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp. expects its total copper output to rise 11 percent this year as it completes its expansion program for wholly owned subsidiary, Carmen Copper Corp.

“We’re pushing to still touch around a hundred million pounds of copper (this year), so that’s still strong growth from last year,” Atlas executive vice president Adrian Ramos told reporters.

The firm produced a total of 90 million pounds of copper in 2012.

As of the first-half, Carmen Copper registered total production of 44 million pounds of copper metal in concentrate.

The mining firm is set to complete its expansion for Carmen Copper this year or one year ahead of the original schedule.

The expansion will raise its copper ore mill production capacity to 60,000 tons per day from 40,000 tons previously.

“Expansion effect will not be as big as we had hoped, so most of that will be next year. Organically even without the expansion we’ve been able to push more tons through the mill,” Ramos said.

Expansion work for Carmen Copper, which has operating rights over the Carmen, Lutopan and Biga mineral deposits collectively known as Toledo Copper Mine Complex in Cebu, started last year.

As part of the expansion, Ramos said the firm also expects to complete its molybdenum circuit by October to produce molybdenum, which can be mixed with alloy for various industrial uses.