Copper miner Kaz Minerals on Thursday announced that it would spend between $50-million and $100-million less this year on its Aktogay expansion project, as Covid-19 restrictions in Kazakhstan and elsewhere are negatively impacting on supply chains.
Restrictions are also reducing the availability of local contractors and preventing vendor representatives from entering the country to support equipment installations.
Capital expenditure for 2020 is now forecast to be $300-million to $350-million, rather than the previous guidance of $400-million. The balance of the unchanged $1.2-billion project budget will be incurred in 2021.