UPDATE 1-Kazakhmys expects first Balkhash acid output end-June

(Adds Kazatomprom comments, changes dateline, pvs LONDON)

By Olzhas Auyezov and Anna Stablum

ALMATY/LONDON, May 16 (Reuters) - London-listed Kazakhmys Corp. (KAZ.L: Quote, Profile, Research) expects the first output from its 1.2-million-tonne sulphuric acid plant in Balkhash, Kazakhstan, at the end of June, the copper producer said on Friday.

"We will start production at the end of the second quarter," said spokesman Nurlan Makhmudov over the phone from Zhezkazgan.

Sulphuric acid is the main chemical reagent for production of uranium by the in-situ leaching method and a shortfall has limited uranium production in Kazakhstan this year.

The world's third largest uranium producer, state-owned Kazatomprom, has faced a shortfall of sulphuric acid this year and has awaited the start-up to implement all its planned programmes to develop uranium deposits in the country.

"In accordance with our information which we've just got from Kazakhmys, they will launch their acid plant on 28 May," the world uranium producer said in an email to Reuters.

"We expect that the first supply of the sulphuric acid will be in second part of June," it added.

In February, Kazatomprom said it expected to raise this year's output of the radioactive metal to 9,405 tonnes from last year's 6,637. [ID:nL07907482]