KEY POINTS
- Kamoa-Kakula achieved a record 45,019 tonnes of copper in November.
- The Phase 3 concentrator’s recovery rate reached 90 percent on November 26.
- The DRC is poised to surpass Peru as the world’s second-largest copper producer.
Ivanhoe Mines announced on December 3, 2024, that its Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) achieved a record 45,019 tonnes of copper in concentrate during November.
The milestone comes as part of the ongoing ramp-up of Phase 3 of the operation, which is expected to push the complex’s production capacity even further in the near future.
Kamoa-Kakula hits new production records
Robert Friedland, the Executive Co-Chairman of Ivanhoe Mines, and Marna Cloete, the company’s president, celebrated the achievement, highlighting the progress made since the start of the year.
For the month of November, the combined production from Phases 1, 2, and 3 reached 45,019 tonnes. This was achieved after processing 1.2 million tonnes of ore at an average feed grade of 4.58 percent copper.
So far in 2024, the Kamoa-Kakula operation has produced a total of 390,061 tonnes of copper. The recent performance marks a significant milestone as the complex continues to increase output.
“We’ve hit another remarkable milestone,” Friedland said. “This marks a 10 percent month-on-month increase in copper production, and the annualized production rate is now around 550,000 tonnes of copper — with more to come.”
Phase 3 concentrator shows strong recovery
The Phase 3 concentrator, which was recently ramped up, has significantly contributed to the increase in production. It achieved an average recovery rate of 85.3 percent during November, rapidly approaching its design rate of 86 percent. Notably, on November 26, the Phase 3 concentrator achieved an impressive 90 percent recovery rate over a 24-hour period.
These performance results indicate the efficiency and growth potential of the operation as Ivanhoe Mines moves closer to reaching its goal of 600,000 tonnes per annum.
According to Newsfile, Friedland expressed confidence in the future of Kamoa-Kakula, emphasizing the complex’s ability to produce world-class copper in a highly competitive global market.
DRC set to surpass Peru as second-largest copper producer
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is on track to overtake Peru as the world’s second-largest producer of copper.
According to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, the DRC is expected to produce 2.9 million tonnes of copper in 2024, surpassing Peru’s revised target of 2.8 million tonnes. This marks a significant shift in the global copper production landscape.
With the growth of Kamoa-Kakula, the DRC’s copper production is set to rise steadily, with further expansion expected in the coming years.
The Kamoa-Kakula complex, which began copper production just three and a half years ago, has quickly become a world-leading mining district. As Ivanhoe Mines continues to ramp up production, the DRC’s role in global copper supply will only increase.
