Terramin Australia weighs technical hitch impact on lead/zinc output

Date:2011-08-18lile  Text Size:

SYDNEY | Tue Aug 16, 2011

SYDNEY Aug 17 (Reuters) - Terramin Australia said it may know later on Wednesday the extent of damage caused by an electrical incident this week at its Angas lead and zinc operation, which forced it to suspend milling work.

The facility near Adelaide in South Australia state started up in 2008 and had been expected to yield 47,000 tonnes of zinc concentrate and 18,500 tonnes of lead concentrate this year.

"I'm waiting on a report, which I hope to get this afternoon from the engineers," Terramin Managing Director Kevin Moriarty said. "There are a lot of people looking at it."

Moriarty said the affect on production and its full-year forecast, if any, were being evaluated.

Terramin holds a supply agreement with JP Morgan's metals and concentrates trading arm for zinc concentrate and a supply agreement with Nyrstar to deliver lead concentrate to Nyrstar's Port Pirie, Australia lead smelter.

The incident occurred on Monday in a high-voltage switch room housed as part of the ore grinding process, according to the company.

China Nonferrous Metal Industry's Foreign Engineering and Construction Co this month said it was increasing its stake in Terramin to 19.86 percent from 14.38 percent. (Reporting by James Regan; Editing by Ed Davies)

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