Palabora Mining on Tuesday reported increased third-quarter copper mine production, but said that its refined output dropped.

The company, South Africa’s only major copper producer, increased the ore hoisted by 11% to three-million tons in the September quarter. This compares with 2.7-million tons in the June quarter and 2.8-million tons a year earlier.

Palabora hoisted an average of 32 848 t of ore a day between June and the end of September, compared with 30 531 t in the previous quarter and 30 651 t in the same three-month period last year.

“Since both winder drums have been replaced and as a direct result of the business improvement focus on winder optimisation initiated earlier this year, we have seen production levels rise accordingly,” MD Tony Lennox said in a statement.

Ore treated increased by 6% to 3.1-million tons owing to improved hoisting rates, but was partly offset by lower slag material. Copper concentrate output fell by 5% to 58 000 t and copper in concentrate output fell by 3% quarter-on-quarter and 4% year-on-year to 18 200 t.

Refined copper production at 10 200 t was 41% lower than the June quarter’s and 31% lower than the September 2010 quarter’s production.

Palabora, which forms part of the Rio Tinto group of companies, said the significantly lower refined copper output was in line with anode supply, following the scheduled reverb furnace rebuild in August.

Further, CFO Dikeledi Nakene said that magnetite production remained robust and in line with demand from Asia and local coal washeries.

Magnetite output fell 3% quarter-on-quarter and 9% year-on-year to 744 000 t. “Production remains in line with logistical constraints on wagon availability and the Brakspruit Bridge repairs towards the end of the quarter,” Palabora said.

Transnet reopened the Brakspruit Bridge on Saturday.

Vermiculite output fell by 6% to 48 000 t, owing to intermittent furnace failures affecting plant running times.