Sumitomo Metal Mining to Increase Copper Output in 2H

Sumitomo Metal Mining announced on Tuesday the firm planned to produce 187,700 tonnes of electrolytic copper during second half of fiscal 2006 ending March 2007. The output will increase by 4.5% from the same period of fiscal 2005 thanks to completion of output capacity expansion at Toyo plant in Ehime Prefecture, Japan to 410,000 tonnes per year in November from current 365,000 tonnes. SMM plans to produce 55,500 tonnes of electrolytic zinc at Harima and Akita smelters in the half year. The output will decrease by 10% from the same period of fiscal 2005 with less operating days, worse sales condition of distillated zinc and tighter supply of zinc ore.SMM plans to increase electrolytic nickel production by 1.3% to 15,800 tonnes in second half of fiscal 2006 from the same period of fiscal 2005, while to decrease ferronickel by 5% to 11,300 tonnes. The firm will keep the output level almost as same as the previous year when demand is active for special steel and alloys. SMM estimates electrolytic lead output would decrease by 2.7% to 14,600 tonnes in second half of fiscal 2006 from the same period of fiscal 2005, gold would decrease by 8.7% to 22,000 kilogram and silver would decrease by 6.1% to 145,000 kg.