A shortfall in feed has forced Asarco (AR-N) to reduce copper production at the Amarillo refinery in Texas.
The company has seen a shortfall in copper anodes, scrap and blister copper, which it purchases from outside sources, causing it to cut back production by 15%, or 12 million lbs. per month.
About 30 employees are being laid off as a result.
The refinery produced 985 million lbs. copper in 1997. Asarco has sufficient copper feed to meet its customers’ needs through 1998. Asarco expects to return the refinery to full capacity when copper prices rise.
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