Head of Kazakhmys Plc. forecasts an insignificant growth of coper production in 2007

/INTERFAX-KAZAKHSTAN, Almaty, May 10, 07/ - Vladimir Kim the head of Kazakhmys Plc. (a company registered in London for bringing shares of copper corporation Kazakhmys to the international market) says the company will insignificantly increase copper production in year 2007 in comparison with 2006, Bloomberg agency informs. The production growth is mainly concerned with deliveries to China and India, V. Kim said at the company's annual shareholders meeting. At that production of other metals in this year will stay on last year's level. As a whole the corporation's economic perspectives for year 2007 are still positive, he said. Total volume of cathode copper production (excluding tolling concentrate) grew last year by 4.7% - to 405 th. tons, in particular, 368 th. tons were outputted by own raw stuff. Average price of copper sale in 2006 totaled $7.025 th. per ton, that is more by 85% than one year before. Kazakhmys Plc. in 2006 earned $1 bn. 402.7 m. of net profit, that is 2.55 times more than in the previous year. Company's earnings grew last year by 94% to $5 bn. 46.5 m. Dividends by the results of year 2006 will total 38.5 cents per share, that is more by 7% than in year 2005. V. Kim's income in year 2006 grew more than 2 times up to 1.8 m. ponds sterling ($3.59 m.). Kazakhmys is the biggest in Kazakhstan copper producer, in 2005 it offered shares in London on behalf of Kazakhmys Plc. Kazakhmys comprises four companies: Jezkazgantsvetmet, Balkhashtsvetmet, Vostoktsvetmet, Karagandatsvetmet. [2007-05-10]