Mill production at Nyrstar's Middle Tennessee zinc mining operations in the US has restarted 

ahead  of  its previously communicated schedule, with the mill processing 5,000 mt of zinc in 

concentrate in the period of May to June, the Belgium-based producer said Wednesday. 

Operations  were  put  into  care and maintenance in December 2015, but in September last 

year  the company said that "given the current strength in zinc prices and Nyrstar's expectati

on that these prices are sustainable," mining operations would be restarted. 

The Middle Tennessee mines are forecast to reach full capacity of 50,000 mt/year of zinc in 

concentrate by November. 

In January last year, the company formally launched the sale process for all or the majority of 

its mining assets, which at the time comprised the Campo Morado mine in Mexico; Contonga, 

Pucarrajo and Coricancha mines in Peru; El Mochito in Honduras; El Toqui in Chile; Langlois 

and Myra Falls in Canada; and the Tennessee Mines unit in the US. 

At the end of H1 2017, Nyrstar had sold all five of its mining assets in Latin America for a total 

cash  consideration  of $72 million ($40 million upfront and $32 million in contingent milestone 

payments). 

"During  the  course  of  H1  2017,  Nyrstar  has  completed a full potential review of the North 

American  mining portfolio and is rolling out optimisation plans for all four of the mining assets,

"  the company said Wednesday in its half-year results statement. 

"The mines, including the Myra Falls mine which is commencing its restart in August 2017, ar

e  positioned  to  ramp up to 200,000 mt per annum of zinc in concentrate production and de 

liver continued improvements in operating costs," the company said. 

Nyrstar's continuing mining operations produced 53,000 mt of zinc in concentrate in H1 2017, 

up 6% from output of 50,000 mt in the year-earlier period.