Falco cuts Kidd output

Production has been halted by Falconbridge (FL-T) at a portion of its Kidd Creek copper-zinc operation, in Timmins, Ont., following a ground movement after blasting late last year.

The company says production could be interrupted for several weeks in the affected areas of the 31 pillar in the South orebody while engineering and geotechnical assessments are completed.

Falco says preliminary assessments indicate that about 15% of overall production at its No. 1 mine could be affected this year. The company plans to offset any shortfalls by increasing production from other areas of the No. 1 mine or from the No. 2 and No. 3 mines. The interruption of production also forced the concentrator to shut down for five days in late January. Downstream facilities will continue to operate.