Swedish base metals producer Boliden expects to lose 2mn mt of total copper throughput at its Aitik copper mine from its yearly target of 45mn mt due to a mechanical issue at one of the two mills. Repairs, which began more than three weeks ago, took longer than expected due to staffing issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Mar 16, the company had also suspended operations at its Tara zinc mine in Ireland due to the breakdown of an ore hoist. Boliden restarted production a week after the incident. Both mines are now working at full-scale production.
For Q1 2021, Boliden now forecasts a SEK200mn ($23.2mn) impact on combined operating profit from the mines due to these disruptions.
($1=SEK8.62)