Kamoa Copper SA to Start of Production in One Month
With the first phase of installation of the 3.8-Mtpa concentrator being 98% complete, Kamoa Copper can begin, one month in advance, the next phase of commissioning.
The commissioning phase of Kamoa Copper SA’s C4 concentrator, which includes ore grinding and the first production of copper concentrate, is expected to begin between the end of May and early June 2021.
Thanks to accelerated construction and a smooth start-up, the first phase of installation of the Kamoa Copper mill, with a capacity of 3.8 Mtpa, is coming to an end. Most of the construction completion certificates have been signed. Kamoa Copper is now continuously powered by hydropower and instrumentation checks are well underway. The distribution of water in certain parts of the plant announces the start of leakage checks, the calibration of certain instruments and continuous checks. Then, the last stage of the work will be started, in other words, the processing of ore by the plant to produce copper concentrate.
Kamoa Copper SA Chairman of the Board, Ben Munanga, was pleased to make the following announcement: “Overall, the construction related to phase one of the Kamoa Copper mill, with its capacity to 3.8 Mtpa, and its related facilities, is progressing rapidly. At the end of April, the construction was nearly 98% complete. We are particularly excited about this progress, as the start of production at Kamoa Copper heralds the inauguration of a copper mining region, which will contain a large number of high-grade mines, where copper extraction will be done from generation to generation ” .
The April Underground Development at Kamoa Copper broke all records once again, growing over 3.625 meters, bringing the total underground development to nearly 42.2 kilometers, or 15 kilometers ahead of what was planned. Preproduction surface stored ore is estimated to contain approximately 3.0 million tonnes of medium and high grade ore with a combined average grade of approximately 4.74% copper. Kamoa Copper’s objective of extracting 3.0 million tonnes of medium and high quality ore was reached several months before the date estimated by the feasibility study conducted in 2020. During the last phase of the work, low grade ore will be fed to the plant to ensure satisfactory performance, and copper recovery, before grade is increased.
Here are comments from Mark Farren, Managing Director of Kamoa Copper: “In April we saw, once again, good performances by our mining teams, who continue to produce beyond our forecasts. We have now reached our preproduction reserve target of 3.0 million tonnes. This quantity is likely to increase given that the monthly extraction rate is currently exceeding the processing rate and is not expected to decline until the phase two concentrator comes on stream in mid-2022. ”
Robert Friedland, Executive Co-President of Ivanhoe Mines, the parent company of Kamoa Copper, added: “We are proud of the entire Kamoa Copper SA team for their remarkable dedication and achievement in completing phase one. production faster than expected while on budget despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. We especially want to express our gratitude to the management team of Kamoa Copper. Their unwavering passion, vision and pursuit of excellence play a central role in the transformation and growth of the company.
“The start of production at Kakula heralds the inauguration of a copper mining region that will contain a large number of high-grade mines, where copper extraction will be done from generation to generation. We will now focus on developing this immense copper-bearing region in a socially and ethically responsible manner, and on establishing a new global model for the elimination of greenhouse gases in the production of copper, because the world needs it. ”
The construction of the concentration plant, with a capacity of 3.8 Mtpa, as part of the second phase, is progressing well. At the moment, the focus is on earthworks and civil engineering. In both areas, there is a slight lead over schedule. Engineering and procurement activities are progressing well. The first two shipments of structural steel, as well as the first three shipments of sheet metal, have left the fabricator and are en route to site. We expect the first deliveries of steel and sheet metal in June 2021. Many of the main contractors have been selected for the second phase of production to ensure continuity and to pass on the experience gained during the first phase.
The combined production of the first and second phase is forecast to be around 400,000 tonnes of copper per year. This gradual expansion to 19 Mtpa would allow Kamoa Copper S.A. to rank as the second largest copper mining center in the world, with a maximum annual production exceeding 800,000 tonnes. Particular attention will be given to the development of this immense copper-producing region in a socially and ethically responsible manner, and to establishing a new global model for the elimination of greenhouse gases in the production of copper.
Take a look at how Kamoa Copper strives to responsibly produce copper by watching this new video:
