INTERVIEW-Oz Minerals ups BHP Olympic Dam copper shipments

Published: 29 Nov 2009 21:55:10 PST

SYDNEY, Nov 30 - Australia's Oz Minerals Ltd <OZL.AX> has increased its shipments of copper ore to BHP Billiton's <BHP.AX> damaged Olympic Dam mine, Oz Managing Director Terry Burgess said on Monday.

"We have increased slightly our deliveries of concentrate to assist them through this difficult time," Burgess told Reuters in an interview. "Normally we ship about 10 percent of our concentrate to Olympic Dam and we've slightly increased that."

BHP was forced to shut down the main haulage shaft at Olympic Dam, the world's fourth-largest copper deposit, in October after a breakdown of the haulage system. ((jim.regan@thomsonreuters.com; +61-2 9373-1814; Reuters Messaging: jim.regan@reuters.net)) (