The Phase 1, 2 and 3 concentrators at TSX- and OTCQX-listed Ivanhoe Mines’ Kamoa-Kakula copper complex, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), achieved a combined monthly production record of 40 347 t of copper in concentrate and a combined monthly milling record of 1.1-million tonnes during August, the company announced on September 4.

On August 31, the Phase 1, 2 and 3 concentrators produced a combined daily production record of 2 096 t of copper. This included 1 760 t of copper from the Phase 1 and 2 concentrators, which was also a record for the company.

Ivanhoe said the ramp-up of the Phase 3 concentrator to steady-state production was progressing well, with about 350 000 t of ore milled during August. This equated to a throughout of about 4.2-million tonnes a year. The average daily milling rate was approaching the nameplate processing rate of 5-million tonnes a day by month-end, with the potential to go beyond this, the company said.

The Phase 3 concentrator recovery rate averaged 77% during August. The commissioning of fine-grinding mills, manufactured by Finnish company Metso, is the final stage required to achieve steady-state production.

Hot commissioning of the fine-grinding mills was ongoing and was expected to be complete within the coming days. Once complete, copper recovery rates were expected to reach the concentrator’s nameplate target of 86%, said Ivanhoe executive co-chairperson Robert Friedland.

During August, the on-site backup power generation capacity was increased to 135 MW, following the commissioning of an additional 72 MW of generators that were delivered to site in July.

With this additional backup power, Kamoa-Kakula could operate Phase 1 and 2 concentrators at full capacity with no grid power if required, Friedland said.

Year-to-date, the combined production from Kamoa-Kakula is about 263 000 t of copper, of which 14 000 t was produced by the Phase 3 concentrator.

With further improvements in processing throughput and copper recovery following the commissioning of the fine-grinding mills in the Phase 3 concentrator, Ivanhoe expects Kamoa-Kakula to continue its recent run of production records and achieve its 2024 guidance of between 440 000 t and 490 000 t of copper.

The company said that the ramp-up of the Phase 3 concentrator to steady state production was progressing as planned, with hot commissioning of the fine-grinding mills expected to be complete imminently, Friedland said, noting that this would boost recoveries to the nameplate target of 86%.