Metalkol Approves New High-Capacity Dredger for DRC Mining Operations
Metalkol Approves Damen CSD500 Dredger for DRC Operations to Boost Copper and Cobalt Tailings Recovery
Metalkol has completed the technical acceptance of a customised Damen CSD500 cutter suction dredger in the Netherlands, clearing the equipment for shipment to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it will support the company’s mining operations.
The dredger underwent inspections and operational testing at Damen Dredging’s facilities before receiving approval for delivery.
It will now be dismantled into modules for transport to the DRC by road and water before being assembled at the mining site.
Equipment Designed for Remote Operations
The CSD500 has a nominal dredging capacity of up to 4,000 cubic metres per hour. For Metalkol, the standard unit has been modified to operate at depths of up to 16 metres.
The customised equipment includes anchor booms, a spud carriage pontoon designed to increase the dredger’s working range, specialised dredging instrumentation and other systems required for the project.
The equipment is expected to improve Metalkol’s ability to recover mineral-bearing tailings and maintain a consistent supply of material to its processing operations.
Training Supports Local Technical Capacity
The equipment delivery has also been accompanied by technical training for Metalkol personnel in the Netherlands.
The programme covered equipment inspections, component quality control, vibration monitoring, maintenance systems and the operation of dredging equipment.
Metalkol personnel also trained on a Damen simulator designed to replicate the controls and operating conditions of a CSD500.
The simulator allows operators to practise cutter speed, dredging-pump operation, equipment movement and spud positioning while responding to potential operational issues in a controlled environment.
This combination of equipment and skills development is expected to support safer operations, reduce downtime and improve equipment efficiency once the dredger is commissioned in the DRC.
Supporting Copper and Cobalt Recovery
Metalkol operates near Kolwezi in Lualaba Province, where it reprocesses historical mining residues containing copper and cobalt.
The company uses dredging and hydro-mining techniques to recover tailings before they undergo metallurgical processing. The operation has a nominal annual production capacity of approximately 100,000 tonnes of copper cathodes and 23,000 tonnes of contained cobalt in hydroxide.
Metalkol is 90% owned by Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), with the remaining 10% held by the Congolese state.
The arrival of the new dredger is therefore expected to strengthen the material-recovery stage of the operation, where equipment availability is important to maintaining a steady supply of tailings to the processing plant.
The next milestone will be the dredger’s arrival in the DRC, assembly and commissioning, followed by assessment of its contribution to tailings recovery and overall plant feed.
