OMUTHIYA – Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb recently purchased industry heavy-duty machinery to be used in transportation of materials at the smelting mine. The machinery was procured from Barloworld Equipment Namibia to the tune of N$25 million and was handed over to Dundee last month.
The equipment comprised of three 730-articulated dump trucks, two 950GC wheel loaders, one 320 next-generation hydraulic excavator and one 426F2 backhoe loader.
The smelter was constructed in 1963 and is one of only a few in the world that can treat complex copper concentrates, and produces 98.5% pure blister copper. While blister copper is the main product, a by-product is Sulphuric acid which is sold to other mines in the country for their production purposes.
Sulphuric acid is a critical component in the mining industry particularly for uranium and copper production businesses. Thus, the smelter can take a by-product of copper and turn it into something of value.