To date, more than 10,500 tonnes of concentrate have been delivered to the local smelter. Kamoa-Kakula concentrate is expected to contain approximately 57% copper and exceptionally low levels of impurities – arsenic levels of only 0.01% according to the company.
A total of 338,000 tonnes grading 4.59% copper was mined in June and comprised 295,000 tonnes grading 4.76% copper from the Kakula Mine, including 66,200 tonnes grading 7.71% from the mine’s high-grade centre, and 43,000 tonnes at 3.43% grade from the Kansoko Mine.
As of June 30, 313,000 tonnes of ore grading 4.85% copper had been conveyed to the run-of-mine (ROM) stockpile. The project’s pre-production surface stockpiles now contain approximately 3.4 million tonnes of high and medium-grade ore at an estimated, blended average of 4.78% copper.
Contained copper in the stockpiles at the end of May now total more than 162,000 tonnes and the company said as the plant ramps up to full phase 1 design capacity, and the mine towards phase 2 production capacity of 7.6 million tonnes per annum, the surface stockpiles are expected to continue to build at a reduced rate according to the statement.
Phase 2 is on track for Q3 2022 and Ivanhoe says civil works and structural steel construction ahead of schedule.
Ivanhoe’s guidance for contained copper in concentrate expected to be produced by Kamoa-Kakula for the balance of 2021 is 80,000 to 95,000 tonnes (100% basis).
Kamoa-Kakula is a joint venture between Vancouver-based Ivanhoe (39.6%) and China’s Zijin Mining (39.6%). The DRC government holds a fifth of the mine.
