Ivanhoe completes Phase 3 concentrator construction at DRC copper complex
TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines announced that, on May 26, first ore was fed into the Phase 3 concentrator at the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
First ore marks the completion of construction of the Phase 3 concentrator, which has been achieved months ahead of schedule and within budget.
First concentrate is expected in early June, while ramp-up to commercial production is expected in the third quarter.
The Phase 3 concentrator increases Kamoa-Kakula copper production capacity to over 600 000 t/y, making Kamoa-Kakula the fourth-largest copper mining complex globally.
Further Kamoa-Kakula growth initiatives are in progress, including Project 95, debottlenecking of Phase 3 and potential acceleration of Phase 4 expansion.
The Phase 1 and 2 concentrators produced more than 63 000 t of copper since the start of April, which the company says is a significant improvement resulting from improved power stability.
Kamoa-Kakula’s 2024 production guidance has been maintained at 440 000 t to 490 000 t of copper in concentrate.
“The Kamoa-Kakula operations team continues its industry-leading execution with the early and on-budget delivery of the Phase 3 concentrator and underground mining operations . . . a rare feat in an industry plagued by cost overruns and delays when it comes to complex, world-scale projects,” says Ivanhoe founder and executive co-chairperson Robert Friedland.
“Meanwhile, we have experienced much-improved power stability over the second quarter following our team’s proactive response to grid instability experienced in the southern DRC grid.
“As a result, we’ve seen materially higher head grades and improved production over the past two months. We expect a stronger second quarter from Kamoa-Kakula’s operations, reinforcing our confidence that production will align with annual guidance,” he adds.
Comments
Research Reports
Projects
Showroom
SmartMine IoT has been developed with the mining industry in mind, to provides our customers with powerful business intelligence and data modelling...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
