Singapore 25/07/2016 - Brazilian mining giant Vale set second-quarter production records for both copper and nickel, it said late last week.
Nickel production jumped 11,400 tonnes or 17 percent year-on-year to 78,500 tonnes in April-June due to stronger performances at Thompson in Canada, PTVI in Indonesia and Onca Puma in Brazil as well as the continuing ramp-ups of Long Harbour in Canada and Vale New Caledonia (VNC).
Nickel output from the Sudbury mines reached 18,900 tonnes in the second quarter, up 61.5 percent on the same period of last year. Production from PTVI in Indonesia increased 54.5 percent to 20,700 tonnes while that of VNC jumped 75 percent to 8,400 tonnes in April-June.
Copper production was also higher, climbing 2,500 tonnes or 2.4 percent year-on-year to 107,400 tonnes in the second quarter due to the successful ramp-up of Salobo in Brazil and a better performance at Sudbury.
Production of copper in concentrate at Salobo totalled 40,700 tonnes in the second quarter, up 7.1 percent on the same period of last year. Salobo is expected to reach full copper capacity on a monthly basis during the second half.
Vale completed the second expansion phase at the processing facilities at Salobo in 2014, which doubled the mine's capacity to 200,000 tonnes per year.
Copper output at Sudbury increased 29 percent year-on-year to 28,900 tonnes in April-June.
In April, Vale posted first-quarter production records for both metals.
(Editing by Mark Shaw)