Phase 3 Concentrator at Kamoa-Kakula Achieves Commercial Production
“Kamoa-Kakula’s operations team continues to achieve a very rare feat in our industry... delivering world-scale copper development projects ahead of schedule, while also advancing smoothly through to commercial production at an impressive rate,” said Robert Friedland, executive co-chairman, Ivanhoe Mines. “Kamoa-Kakula’s record-setting production in July marks the onset of rapid copper growth over the second half of 2024.” Friedland said they are now planning the Phase 4 expansion for Kamoa-Kakula.
The Phase 3 concentrator is consistently milling at the nameplate processing rate of 5 million mt/y of ore. Ivanhoe said milling has exceeded nameplate capacity on multiple occasions over 24 hours by as much as 19%. Commissioning of the fine-grinding mills is the final stage of ramp-up required to achieve steady-state production, which will increase recovery from approximately 80% to the nameplate target of 86%. Currently being installed, the fine-grinding mills are expected to commence by the end of August.
Since first production, the Phase 3 concentrator has produced more than 11,000 mt of copper in concentrate. The first sale of copper concentrate produced by the Phase 3 concentrator took place in July, with all concentrate produced so far toll-smelted at the nearby Lualaba Copper Smelter (LCS) in Kolwezi. To date, more than 33,000 mt (wet) of copper concentrate have been delivered to LCS. In Q4 2024, prior to the heat-up of the onsite copper smelter at Kamoa-Kakula in early 2025, Ivanhoe said a portion of the Phase 3 copper concentrate will be stockpiled onsite with the remainder delivered to LCS.
On a stand-alone basis, the Phase 3 concentrator is expected to produce approximately 150,000 mt/y of copper. In addition to the Phase 1 and 2 concentrators, total copper production capacity at Kamoa-Kakula is expected to be more than 600,000 mt/y, making it the third largest copper mining operation globally.