algeria update

Terramin's Algeria mine output by 2011
Friday Oct 12 07:47 AEST

Australian mining company Terramin could start producing zinc and lead concentrates from its Algerian Tala Hamza mine by 2011, a senior company executive said.
"There's an 80 per cent chance that the mine will bring 3.5 millions of zinc ore, producing in excess of 250,000 tonnes zinc in concentrate," Michael Kennedy, board member of Terramin said in an interview.
"In addition to that, there will be lesser quantities of lead. So if you have around 250,000 tonnes of zinc, you'll have 70,000-80,000 tonnes of lead concentrate per year," he said.
Kennedy said a "scope study", which would show the possible production figures, would be finalised by the end of this year. In May, the company announced it had 55 million tonnes of lead-zinc deposits in its Oued Amizour project, where the Tala Hamza mine is located.
"This project will take Terramin into the top 10 zinc producers, probably to number seven or eight," Kennedy said.
"It is the project that will make Terramin," he said.
Terramin controls the project through its 65 per cent share in an Algerian holding company. The other shares are owned by the Algerian government.
The Tala Hamza deposit is only 10 km away from a deep water port on the Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and strategically located to supply European smelters.