Cu and Ni Output Up at Sumitomo Metal Mining in 2H

Sumitomo Metal Mining announced on Monday the firm plans to produce electrolytic copper at 221,000 tonnes in the second half of fiscal 2007 ending March 2008, up by 17.7% from the corresponding period of fiscal 2006 since the output capacity expansion is completed at Toyo smelter to 450,000 tonnes per annum.The firm plans to produce electrolytic nickel at 16,000 tonnes and ferronickel at 11,500 tonnes in 2H. With material arrivals from external suppliers, electrolytic nickel will increase by 1.2% and ferronickel by 1.7% from a year earlier. Electrolytic zinc will be produced at 40,700 tonnes at Harima smelter and at 14,000 tonnes at Akita Zinc in 2H. Electrolytic lead is scheduled at 14,000 tonnes, gold at 20 tonnes and silver at 156 tonnes.Mitsubishi Materials announced its output plan for 2H of fiscal 2007 on Monday along which the production of electrolytic copper decreases by 1% to 168,402 tonnes from a year earlier while electrolytic lead increases by 12.6% to 9,480 tonnes thanks to the smooth collection of lead battery scrap. Electrolytic zinc will increase by 5.1% to 5,280 tonnes in 2H from a year earlier, while gold down by 6.3% to 16 tonnes and silver down by 12.6% to 183 tonnes.DOWA Holdings announced the firm plans to produce electrolytic zinc at 77,790 tonnes in 2H, up by 2.7% from a year earlier. The production of electrolytic lead will decrease by 12% to 7,344 tonnes and electrolytic copper by 17.8% to 52,704 tonnes in 2H from a year ago. The firm plans to produce gold at 4,398 kilograms and silver at 204 tonnes in 2H.