[Ferro-Alloys.com]The April slide atKennecott’s Bingham Canyon copper/moly mine has not prevented Kennecott from meeting its contract commitment, and the company has not had to declare force majeure on moly shipments. The start-up of Kennecott’s moly autoclave project (MAP) may have to be pushed further forward from mid-2014, sources said, not because of any physical damage from the slide but because of capital constraints. Rio Tinto, Kennecott’s parent, has made public its plans to pay down its debt and maintain its credit rating. Rio Tinto’s cash flow has dropped along with metal prices. Kennecott has announced lay-offs and early retirement for employees. Market sources believe Rio Tinto’s efforts to conserve cash will delay the construction schedule for Kennecott’s MAP project.