Kamoa-Kakula Achieves Record Copper Production in July with Phase 3 Expansion

The Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has set a new monthly production record, with 35,941 tonnes of copper produced in July 2024. Ivanhoe Mines announced that the Phase 3 concentrator, which reached commercial production ahead of schedule, played a crucial role in this achievement. The expansion has boosted the complex's annual copper production capacity to over 600,000 tonnes, making Kamoa-Kakula the third-largest copper mining operation globally.

Ivanhoe Mines Executive Co-Chairman Robert Friedland praised the operations team for their ability to deliver large-scale copper projects ahead of schedule, contributing to a rapid increase in production during the second half of 2024. The Phase 3 concentrator, which began copper concentrate production in June 2024, is now consistently operating at its nameplate processing rate of 5 million tonnes of ore per annum. Plans are underway to further increase recovery rates and processing capacity through the "Project 95" program.

Since the start of production, the Phase 3 concentrator has produced over 11,000 tonnes of copper in concentrate. The first sale of this copper concentrate occurred in July, with deliveries made to the nearby Lualaba Copper Smelter in Kolwezi. The Phase 3 concentrator alone is expected to contribute approximately 150,000 tonnes of copper per year to the complex's total output.

With Phase 3 now fully operational and the commissioning of fine-grinding mills underway, Kamoa-Kakula is positioned to continue its aggressive copper production growth, with further expansions already in the planning stages.