PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Copper-gold producer Sandfire Resources has reported a slight decline in production during the March quarter, on the back of two planned maintenance shut downs of the Sandfire plant, in Western Australia.
Copper production during the March quarter declined form 18 130 t to 16 256 t, compared with the previous quarter, while gold production declined from 10 183 oz to 8 988 oz.
C1 cash costs for the quarter reached $0.94/lb, higher than the $.81/lb reported in the three months to December.
Meanwhile, a total of 63 507 t of concentrate, containing 15 160 t of copper and 8 222 oz of gold was sold during the quarter, with six shipments completed through Port Hedland and the Geraldton port.
Looking ahead, Sandfire has maintained its full-year production guidance of between 65 000 t and 68 000 t of contained copper metal, while gold production was expected to reach between 35 000 oz and 40 000 oz.
C1 cash operating costs for the full year are expected to be at the lower end of the range of between $0.95/lb and $1.05/lb.