Latest official mine production figures released by Peru’s Mines and Energy Ministry on Monday show that tin production in May was 2,170 tonnes, 0.5% lower than in the same month of last year. Cumulative production in the first five months of this year amounted to 10.758 tonnes, down 5% compared to January-May 2011. All Peru’s production comes from Minsur’s San Rafael Mine in Puno province.
Production at the mine had already been reduced substantially in the first half of last year, as tailings storage constraints had forced a cut-back in ore throughput. With the tailings issue resolved, monthly production initially returned to around 2,700 tpm in the third quarter of last year. However increasing difficulties in the mining of narrower ore veins have resulted in a new drop in production subsequently, with output falling short of this year’s annual target of 29,500 tonnes of tin-in-concentrate.
