Chinese Firm to Build Zinc Plants in Bolivia
La Paz, Nov 3. -A Chinese consortium will build two hydro-metallurgic plants to produce 200,000 metric tons of fine zinc a year will be built in Bolivia at a total investment of 500 million dollars, it was reported here Wednesday.The Chinese company Henan Yuguang International Economic and Technology Corporation Ltd will build the two plants in the departments of Oruro and Potosí, according to the Mining Corporation of Bolivia (Comibol).
Comibol president Hector Cordova said that the construction contract will be signed a month from now, and that the company has to define several parameters in a first stage of the project in a six-month period, such as the location, technology, inputs and plant engineering.
Cordova noted that the Bank of China will finance the construction of the plants, which must start up operations in late 2014.
According to the Ministry of Mining and Metallurgy, the two plants will produce 200,000 metric tons a year and will process one-third of Bolivia's zinc production, which totaled 411,408 metric tons worth 887 million dollars last year.
Until September 2011, Bolivia had exported zinc worth 737 million dollars, accounting for a 13.3-percent increase compared to the same period in 2010. (Prensa Latina)
