Katanga Announces Third Quarter Results
November 13, 2009
LONDON, UK November 13, 2009 – Katanga Mining Limited (TSX – KAT) (“Katanga” or the “Company”) today announces its financial results for the calendar quarter and the nine months ended September 30, 2009.
Highlights during and subsequent to the three months ended September 30, 2009 (expressed in US dollars)
Operations and Project Summary for the quarter ended September 30, 2009
Underground (KTO)
During the quarter ended September 30, 2009, 315,879 tonnes of ore
were mined with an average copper grade of 3.78% and cobalt grade
of 0.46%. This represents a 24% increase over the previous
quarter.
Open Pit (T17)
398,302 tonnes of ore were produced (a 6% decrease from the
previous quarter) with a copper grade of 1.17% and a cobalt grade
of 0.75%. The decrease in the amount of ore produced is consistent
with the expected production in the mine plan in the Accelerated
Development Plan.
Kamoto Concentrator
539,107 tonnes of ore were processed from both the underground and
the open pit mines from which 50,908 tonnes of concentrate were
produced, a 10% increase from the second quarter due to the
increase in underground extraction and the commissioning of the CM1
mill.
Luilu Processing Plant
In the three months ended September 30, 2009 the Company achieved
production of 10,351 tonnes of copper cathode and 628 tonnes of
cobalt metal (a 9% and 6% increase on the previous quarter
production respectively). Production of both finished copper and
cobalt in the quarter has been constrained by process
inefficiencies in the metallurgical plant and refinery which have
now been corrected.
Project Review
During the quarter, phase II of the expansion plan was
substantially completed with the only significant outstanding item
being the hot commissioning of the new roaster. The hot
commissioning process has already started and will be completed in
the fourth quarter. The phase III tendering process has commenced
for engineering and procurement services.
Katanga’s Financial Statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the quarter will be filed on SEDAR, www.sedar.com.
For further information contact:
|
Steven Isaacs |
Nick Brodie |
About Katanga Mining Limited
Katanga Mining Limited operates a major mine complex
in the Democratic Republic of Congo producing refined copper and
cobalt. The Company has the potential to become Africa’s
largest copper producer and the world’s largest cobalt
producer. Katanga is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the
symbol KAT.
Forward-looking Information
This press release contains “forward-looking
information” within the meaning of Canadian securities
legislation, concerning the business, operations and financial
performance and condition of Katanga. Generally, these
forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of
forward-looking terminology such as “plans”,
“expects” or “does not expect”, “is
expected”, “budget”, “scheduled
estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”,
“anticipates”, “does not anticipate”, or
“believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or
state that certain actions, events or results “may,
“could”, “would”, “might”,
“will” or “will be taken”,
“occur”, or “be achieved”. Forward-looking
statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as
of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause
the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements
of Katanga to be materially different from those expressed or
implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not
limited to: risks relating to the refurbishment of existing
facilities; unexpected events during construction, expansion and
start-up; variations in ore grade, tonnes mined; future prices of
copper and cobalt; possible variations in ore reserves, grade or
recovery rates; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate
as anticipated; political unrest and insurrection; acts of
terrorism; accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining
industry; delays in the completion of development or construction
activities, as well as those factors discussed herein or referred
to in the current annual information form of the Company filed with
the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and available at
www.sedar.com. Although management of Katanga has attempted to
identify important factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those contained in forward-looking
statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be
as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance
that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results
and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in
such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue
reliance on forward-looking statements. Katanga does not undertake
to update any forward-looking statements that are incorporated
herein, except in accordance with applicable securities
laws.
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