Trading in the shares of Kazakhmys PLC  will resume next Monday morning, after the company said that it has signed a US$1.5 billion loan facility with China Development Bank Corporation (CDB) to fund its major copper project at Aktogay.

The facility consists of two separate agreements. The first is for up to US$1.34 billion and the second for up to RMB1 billion (US$158 million). Both agreements are on similar terms and conditions.

The funds will be available to draw down over a three year period, following the satisfactory completion of the feasibility study. The feasibility study for Aktogay, using Ausenco as external consultants, has already commenced and is expected to complete by the end of 2012.

The facility has a final maturity of 15 years from the date of first drawing and is in addition to the existing CDB loan facilities of US$2.7 billion secured in December 2009, which are being used for the development of Bozshakol and a series of mid-sized projects.