ZINC PRODUCTION: Trail refinery returns to full capacity

BRITISH COLUMBIA — Teck Resources says that its Trail Operations will return to full refined zinc production of 25,000 t/m effective Sept. 1, 2009. The company cut the rate to 20,000 t/m in December 2008. The higher refinery production will be achieved by taking delivery of the full contracted concentrate tonnage from the Red Dog mine in Alaska.

Strengthening customer demand over the past several months has depleted refined metal inventories to minimal levels, and orders for specific products by a large number of steel mill customers for Q3 and Q4 are 44% above the order rate for the first half of the year, according to the company.

Zinc prices have rebounded to about $0.83/lb or up nearly 70% since the end of 2008.

Read Teck's other recent news releases concerning coal deliveries and the proposed sale of the Morelos gold project at www.Teck.com.