Official statistics from Peru’s energy and mining ministry showed that base metals miners ended 2013 on a high note, with year-on-year rises in December production of copper, lead, zinc and tin.
Production of tin-in-concentrates at Minsur’s San Rafael mine in December was 2,096 tonnes, up by 7.2% on the same month of 2012. Annual production amounted to 23, 668 tonnes, down by 9.3% from the 26,105 tonnes produced in the previous year. In contrast, annual production of copper, lead and zinc all increased.
The drop in tin production mainly reflects poor performance in the first half of the year. Since the second quarter there has been an upward trend in monthly mine output, which has consistently exceeded 2,000 tpm in the last five months.
