Reviewed by Lexie CornerJul 24 2024
Ero Copper Corp. ("Ero" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the successful commissioning of its Tucumã Project (the "Project") in Brazil. Milling and flotation operations were completed before the end of Q2 2024, and the project has achieved its first production of marketable copper concentrate, exceeding process design targets. The focus remains on finalizing non-critical path surface installations and initiating commercial production at the site.
2024 commissioning milestones:
- Completion and commissioning of primary, secondary, and tertiary crushers, as well as screening and conveyance systems, are scheduled for March 2024
- Mine pre-strip completed, and full mining operations started by April 2024
- First ore fed into the flotation and milling circuits by mid-June 2024
- On June 24, 2024, the first batch of copper concentrate will be produced
- The first 24-hour shift of continuous mill operations was completed on July 7, 2024
- July 18, 2024, marked the first saleable copper concentrate production, surpassing process design concentrate grade targets
- By the end of Q3 2024, expect to be at commercial production levels, which are 80 % of design mill capacity and 80% of design recovery rates
Producing our first saleable copper concentrate at the Tucumã Project and successfully completing the first 24-hour shift of continuous mining and milling operations are important milestones as we begin our ramp-up towards commercial production. We are rapidly progressing towards an important inflection point for our consolidated copper production and cash flows. It is an exciting time for the Company and with copper prices performing well year-to-date, the timing of the completion and ramp-up of Tucumã could not be better.
David Strang, Chief Executive Officer, Ero Copper Corp.
Strang continued, “I would like to extend my congratulations to our entire team, from senior leadership to our construction and commissioning teams, as well as our contracting, engineering, and supply chain partners. Their outstanding work on the construction of Tucumã–completed on time, without injury or environmental incident, and within line of sight of the original Project budget–is commendable.”
Notably, Tucumã was designed, built, and managed by Ero's Brazilian Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management team, with approximately 85 % of the capital expenditures made within Brazil. This achievement is a testament to the depth and technical strength of mining and project development talent and resources available in Brazil.
David Strang, Chief Executive Officer, Ero Copper Corp.