Sierra Gorda commercial launch delayed

Commercial production at the Sierra Gorda copper mine in Chile, managed by Polish KGHM and Japanese Sumitomo, will be delayed by two or three months, Yoshiaki Nakazato, CEO Sumitomo Metal Mining, was quoted as saying by the Polish Press Agency. The production will be launched between February and April 2015, Nakazato said. Initial production at Sierra Gorda was launched in late July this year. In the first stage of operation, the mine is expected to provide 120,000 metric tons of copper, 50 million pounds of molybdenum and 60,000 ounces of gold. KGHM holds 55 percent in the project, while Sumitomo Metal Mining has 31.5 percent and Sumitomo Corporation has 13.5 percent.