Ivanhoe Mines – Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo achieved a monthly production record of 35,856 tons of copper in concentrate.
Ivanhoe Mines Co-Chairs Robert Friedland and Yufeng “Miles” Sun announced today that the company’s Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo achieved a monthly production record of 35,856 tons of copper in concentrate during May.
Ivanhoe Mines
Ivanhoe Mines is a Canadian mining company focused on advancing its three principal projects in Southern Africa; the expansion of the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the DRC, the construction of the tier-one Platreef palladium-rhodium-platinum-nickel-copper-gold project in South Africa; and the restart of the historic ultra-high-grade Kipushi zinc-copper-germanium-silver mine, also in the DRC.
Ivanhoe Mines is also exploring for new copper discoveries across its circa 2,400km2 of 90-100% owned exploration licenses in the Western Foreland, located adjacent to, or in close proximity to, the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the DRC.
Copper production during April was 34,826 tons of copper in concentrate, bringing quarter-to-date production to 70,682 tons.
Daily milling record
A new daily milling record of 29,366 tons of ore was also achieved by the Phase 1 and 2 concentrators. This is equivalent to an annual milling rate of 9.8 million tons per annum (after accounting for availability). This record far exceeds the increased milling capacity of 9.2 million tons per annum following the debottlenecking program of the Phase 1 and 2 concentrators, which was completed in February 2023.
Construction processes
Average copper recoveries for the month were 87%, above the Phase 1 and 2 concentrator nameplate recovery rates. Construction activities for the Phase 3 expansion, including the largest copper smelter in Africa, with a capacity of 500,000 tons of 99+%-pure copper anodes, are advancing on schedule for first production in the fourth quarter of 2024.
The first batch of ball mill foundation steel is expected at site later this month. The first ball mill, supplied by CITIC Heavy Industries of Luoyang, China, also is expected to be delivered later this month.
Regarding the foundations for Phase 3, 60% of concrete has been poured to date and approximately 6,000 tons of the required 7,100 tons of structural steel have been fabricated, 50% of which has been shipped to site.
Overall smelter construction is now approximately 50% complete. Fabrication of the anode furnaces, ball mill and SAG mill, also manufactured by CITIC Heavy Industries, is complete with shipping expected imminently.
Leaders from Africa’s mining industry will gather in Paris in July for MOTA 2023.