Namibia increases zinc, lead output

Namibia's Skorpion Zinc mine and refinery produced 47,436 tonnes of high grade zinc metal during its first year in operation last year, according to the country's Chamber of Mines.
Skorpion Zinc, wholly owned by Anglo American, produced its first zinc metal in May 2003.
Anglo said last October the operation should reach full capacity of 150,000 tonnes per year by the end of 2004.
In its 2003 annual report, released recently, the chamber also said the Rosh Pinah mine increased output of zinc concentrate by 39 percent to 107,920 tonnes last year.
Rosh Pinah Zinc Corporation, majority owned by South Africa's Kumba Resources, also boosted output of lead concentrate by 30 percent to 31,453 tonnes, it added.
The zinc concentrate grade rose slightly to 54 percent from just under 53 percent in 2002 while the lead concentrate grade rose to 53 percent from 49 percent, the report said.