Zijin Mining Eyes Major Expansion of Kamoa-Kakula Copper Mine in the DRC
China’s Zijin Mining Group Co. is considering a significant expansion of the Kamoa-Kakula copper mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which could make it one of the largest copper sources globally.
The company’s chairman, Chen Jinghe, revealed plans to boost production to 1 million tonnes annually—well above the current target of 600,000 tonnes—potentially challenging BHP Group’s aging Escondida mine in Chile, the world’s largest copper mine.
“We are conducting research and making plans to achieve 1 million tonnes of production,” said Chen in an interview at Zijin’s headquarters in Xiamen, China.
The Kamoa-Kakula project is a joint venture with Ivanhoe Mines Ltd., owned by mining billionaire Robert Friedland, with each company holding a 39.6% stake, while the DRC government owns 20%.
Kamoa-Kakula’s Current Standing and Future Potential
Kamoa-Kakula is already the world’s third-largest copper mining complex and one of the few high-quality, large-scale copper mines to begin operations in the past decade.
Its growth is aligned with the increasing global demand for copper, driven by the green energy transition. The mine is also integral to Zijin’s ambitions to become a top-three global copper producer.
Although Chen provided no specific details on the expansion, he highlighted challenges such as power supply issues, high logistics costs, and transport bottlenecks that need to be addressed. Additionally, the project aims to improve cost control and optimize investments.
Ivanhoe Mines, responding via email, noted that they are conducting an updated life-of-mine engineering study on the Kamoa-Kakula complex, with results expected in Q1 2025. Decisions regarding the proposed Phase 4 expansion and other future investments will be based on this study.
In 2023, the Kamoa-Kakula mine produced nearly 400,000 tonnes of copper. The current ramp-up targets more than 600,000 tonnes per year, and earlier projections from Zijin suggest peak production could reach 800,000 tonnes.
Competition with Global Copper Giants
If the expansion to 1 million tonnes materializes, Kamoa-Kakula could rival BHP’s Escondida mine, which produced around 1.07 million tonnes in 2023. Another major competitor is Freeport-McMoRan’s Grasberg mine in Indonesia, which produced approximately 750,000 tonnes last year.
The planned expansion reflects the critical role Kamoa-Kakula plays in the global copper supply chain and underscores Zijin’s drive to solidify its position as a leader in the copper industry.
