The Yulong Copper mine in Tibet, China's largest copper deposit, is expected to start production at the end of September, the Shanghai Securities News said on Friday, citing a report from the official Xinhua News Agency.

    Yulong, which has proven reserves of more than 6.5 million tonnes of copper in ore and prospective reserves of 10 million tonnes, is expected to produce 1,800 tonnes of refined copper at the mine's affiliated smelter in 2008, rising to 30,000 tonnes annually in 2010, the newspaper said.

    Western Mining Co, China's seventh-largest copper miner, which holds a 58 percent stake in the mine, has said Yulong would produce 990,000 tonnes of copper ore and 30,000 tonnes of refined copper annually after the first phrase of the project is completed.