Production for 2007 was 47,633t of copper, up 12% on the previous year, and 2.45Moz of silver contained in concentrates, up 11% on 2006.

Records were also set for quarterly production, with 16,877t of copper and 0.7Moz of silver produced in the December quarter.

Anvil president and chief executive Bill Turner said the strong performance was due to the above-target operational performance at its Dikulushi mine and the start-up of the Kinsevere Stage 1 HMS plant in the second quarter of 2007.

"Now, with three mines in production, the company expects to produce more than 55,000 tonnes of copper and 1.3 million ounces of silver in 2008," he said.

At its Dikulushi operations, Anvil said production from the underground mine began in the third quarter 2007 and was being ramped up with full production of some 900 tonnes per day expected in the current quarter.

The company expects the plant to treat 367,500t at an average copper grade of 5.2% to produce 16,500t of copper and 1.3Moz of silver in concentrates during 2008.

At its Kulu tailings operation, Anvil said heavy rains and continued mining activity in the lower areas of the river resulted in a high-grade portion of the coarse-grained tailings being removed, leaving only lower-grade material for feed through the HMS plant.

"Enhancements to the mining methodology and an upgrade to the plant with a new enlarged desliming screen, along with a new mining contractor in the fourth quarter of 2007 have improved operational efficiency and copper recovery," Anvil said.

Anvil anticipates the HMS plant will treat 444,000t of material at an average grade of 4.8% copper for the production of 12,700t of copper in concentrates during 2008.

At its Kinsevere operations - the third mine the company has brought into production - the company said the Kinsevere Stage 1 development was almost finished.

Target production from Kinsevere in 2008 is 25,800t of copper and more than 90% is expected to be in the form of "black copper" grading at some 93% copper.

Capital and development expenditures for 2008 are estimated to be around $215 million and will primarily be used to construct the 60,000tpa Solvent Extraction-Electrowinning plant at Kinsevere ($180 million).

Shares in Anvil were down 25c to $14.35 in early afternoon trade.