Canada’s Imperial Metals and Australia’s Newcrest Mining’s joint project Red Chris has reported a 34pc decline in its Q2 2021 copper production to 17.6mn lbs (7,983mt) from 26.5mn lbs during the same period last year.
The project is a 30-70pc partnership and Imperial Metals’ share of the total quarterly output was 5.3mn lbs, according to the company’s statement on Jul 23.
Imperial Metals and Newcrest attribute lower production to inferior grades and ongoing drilling work. However, a possible capital infusion of C$12mn ($9.54mn) by the latter may enable better drilling in higher grade zones at Red Chris.