Total ore milled by the company increased to 3.49 million tonnes compared with 3.44 million tonnes milled a year earlier. Metal recoveries and grades averaged about the same for the comparable periods.
Deepening of the shaft and construction of new ore handling facilities are nearly complete with change-over scheduled for this summer. The company says the changes will relieve bottlenecks which have limited ore supply, especially during the fourth quarter.
Concentrate production for the year was 443,600 tonnes of zinc, 185,700 tonnes of lead, and 33,700 tonnes of copper concentrate. Silver production was 6.77 million oz, compared with 6.74 million oz a year earlier.
Smelter production of refined lead totalled 61,700 tonnes, compared to 60,500 tonnes a year earlier. Silver dore production was unchanged at 3.3 million oz.
Last year the smelter purchased lead concentrate and other material to augment supply from the mine. Start-up of the new short rotary furnaces was delayed until this year, the company says.
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