JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – TSX-listed Dundee Precious Metals expects its 2016 concentrate throughput to be about 20 000 t less than planned, after a power outage led to damage to the refractory lining of the Ausmelt furnace at its Tsumeb smelter in Namibia.
Subsequent to a power blackout in Namibia on July 22, cooling water entered the Ausmelt furnace as a result of the back-up systems for power and cooling water not operating as expected, which compromised the integrity of the refractory lining.
As a consequence, and following initial inspections, the smelter’s management has determined the refractory lining will need to be fully replaced, which will take about three weeks.
The Tsumeb smelter produces blister copper and is able to treat complex copper concentrates.