Bolivia’s state tin company Empresa Minera Huanuni (EMH) will triple its tin concentrate production in 2014 to 3,000 tonnes a month thanks to the construction of a new mill which is expected to be completed by the end of the year, said mining and metals minister Mario Virreira, BNAmericas reports. The mill, which will require a total investment of around US$30 million, is currently 70% complete, the minister said. The mine has increased its production recently to offset the reduction in its production due to a strike over pensions in May. The minister took the opportunity to dismiss press reports that the government was considering turning EMH back into a cooperative, and emphasized that it would reject any proposals to do so.
ITRI View: The 3,000 tonnes per month figure refers to the gross weight of concentrates, but could still be an optimistic target for next year. The new ore processing facility being built by the Chinese contractor Vicstar Union Engineering is well underway, but it may be difficult to boost mine production of ore quickly to fill the new capacity straight away. Actual reported production of tin-in-concentrate by Bolivia’s two state-owned mines, Huanuni and Colquiri, was 4,887 tonnes in the first half of this year. This was up by 18% on the corresponding period of 2012, but the rise was entirely due to the nationalisation of Colquiri last June. Total Bolvian mine production in the first half fell by 8% to 8,876 tonnes.
