Vedanta says Gamsberg mine to produce zinc ore from 2018

LONDON (Reuters) - Vedanta Resources' Gamsberg zinc mine is on track to produce ore from early 2018 and will partially replace output from its Lisheen mine in Ireland, which is due to close in November, the mining firm said on Monday.

The Gamsberg open pit mine, which is located near the town of Aggeneys in South Africa, is expected to have a life of approximately 13 years.

Vedanta has approved a $782 million investment over 3 years to develop Gamsberg and to convert the Skorpion zinc refinery in Namibia.

"The majority of the investment, approximately $630 million, will go towards developing the open pit zinc mine, concentrator plant and associated infrastructure at Gamsberg," Vedanta said in a statement.

"The balance will be used to convert the refinery at Skorpion Zinc in Rosh Pinah, Namibia, enabling it to refine zinc sulphide concentrates from the Gamsberg Mine into special, high-grade zinc metal."

Vedanta had previously said the Lisheen mine, which produces about 165,000 tonnes of zinc metal in concentrate per year, would close in October.

(Reporting by Pratima Desai; editing by Jason Neely)