Brazil's Vale SA said it has begun producing copper concentrate at its Lubambe mine in Zambia, which began on October 4, is expected to lead to an annual output of 45 000 t of concentrate. Copper concentrate is a raw version of commercial copper that is later refined by smelters.
Vale also in recent years has producing coal and fertilizer production, and the company expects to overtake Russia's Norilsk Nickel as the world's biggest producer of nickel. Still, iron ore at present accounts for about 90% of Vale's profits and nearly three-quarters of its revenues.
