Ivanhoe Mines Government Co-Chair Robert Friedland and President Marna Cloete introduced on Might 26, 2024 that first ore was fed into the Section 3 concentrator on the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complicated within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). First ore marks the completion of building of the Section 3 concentrator, which has been achieved months forward of schedule and likewise on finances. First focus is anticipated in early June, whereas ramp-up to industrial manufacturing is focused for early within the third quarter.
Ivanhoe Mines’ Founder and Government Co-Chairman Robert Friedland commented: “The Kamoa-Kakula operations crew continues its industry-leading execution with the early and on-budget supply of the Section 3 concentrator and underground mining operations … a uncommon feat in an {industry} affected by value overruns and delays in terms of advanced, world-scale tasks. In the meantime, we’ve got skilled much-improved energy stability over the second quarter following our crew’s proactive response to grid instability skilled within the southern DRC grid. Because of this, we’ve seen materially larger head grades and improved manufacturing over the previous two months. We count on a stronger second quarter from Kamoa-Kakula’s operations, reinforcing our confidence that manufacturing will align with annual steerage.”
He provides: “Given the outperformance of Kamoa-Kakula’s operations to this point, together with larger than anticipated throughput and recoveries on the Section 1 and Section 2 concentrators, we at the moment are finding out choices to spice up copper manufacturing in the direction of our subsequent purpose of 800,000 t each year … a manufacturing fee that will propel the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complicated in the direction of being one of many two largest copper producers on our planet. Along with the de-bottlenecking of the Section 3 concentrator and growing recoveries to 95% by way of our ‘Venture 95’ initiative, we at the moment are additionally finding out choices to speed up the Section 4 growth at Kamoa-Kakula to focus on a throughput fee of a minimum of 20 million tonnes yearly. Given the present copper market, and the expansive copper sources and reserves in proximity of the milling advanced, we imagine this expanded throughput fee would unlock substantial worth for our stakeholders and shareholders within the close to and long run.”
“It’s only early days when it comes to the broader copper progress story at Ivanhoe Mines, with our aggressive 70,000-metre drill program at our adjoining, majority-owned Western Foreland licenses …which is now ramping up into the dry season with 10 drill rigs energetic. Provided that our present Western Foreland sources already whole practically 5 Mt contained copper, we additionally intend to assiduously advance the Makoko, Kiala and Kitoko discoveries in the direction of early manufacturing to underpin the additional growth of our copper enterprise.”
The Section 3 concentrator will course of ore from the adjoining Kamoa 1 and a pair of underground mines, in addition to the connecting Kansoko underground mine. The design capability of the Section 3 concentrator is 30% bigger than the unique design capacities of the Section 1 and a pair of concentrators, that are positioned roughly 10 kilometres to the south. The method design of all three concentrators is comparable, due to this fact the majority of the tools is identical or comparable, leading to a commonality of spare elements, whereas additionally leveraging operational and upkeep expertise.
The Section 3 concentrator will increase the overall design processing capability of the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complicated to 14.2 million tonnes each year. Section 3 is anticipated to extend annualised copper manufacturing to greater than 600,000 t, positioning Kamoa-Kakula because the world’s fourth-largest copper mining advanced, and the biggest copper mine on the African continent.
As of April 30, 2024, a complete of two.25 Mt of ore at a grade of three.1% copper is saved in floor run-of-mine (ROM) stockpiles adjoining to the Section 3 concentrator. The stockpiled ore from the Kamoa 1 and Kansoko mines, containing roughly 70,000 t of copper, with the copper worth buying and selling at properly over $10,000 per tonne, is getting used to de-risk the continuing moist commissioning and ramp-up of the brand new 5 Mt/y concentrator.
Dry commissioning commenced in early April, with first ore from the ROM stockpiles being fed by means of the front-end (crushing and screening plant) of the Section 3 concentrator. A crushed ore stockpile has been created on the high-pressure grinding rolls (HPGR) feed stockpile space, on the finish of the crushing and screening circuit. Moist commissioning commenced with first feed into the ball mills and the flotation plant on Might 26. First focus is anticipated to be produced in early June, with industrial manufacturing focused for early within the third quarter.
Focus produced by the Section 3 concentrator might be partially offered (by way of toll-smelting on the Lualaba Copper Smelter) to generate money circulation, in addition to partially stockpiled in preparation for the commissioning of the on-site, direct-to-blister smelter. Focus produced by the Section 3 concentrator has a better sulphuric content material than the Section 1 and a pair of, which requires much less exterior power enter into the smelter throughout start-up. Roughly, 70,000 t of Section 3 focus is deliberate to be stockpiled on-site forward of the start-up of the smelter.
Kamoa-Kakula’s Section 3 concentrator growth was accomplished months forward of schedule and can enhance manufacturing to over 600,000 t of copper each year as soon as totally ramped up early in Q3 2024.
Kamoa-Kakula’s Section 3 concentrator has a nameplate throughput of 5 Mt/y. As soon as ramped-up, examine work will begin on de-bottlenecking the milling circuit. The de-bottlenecking on the Section 1 and Section 2 concentrators, accomplished in February 2023, elevated throughput by over 20% above the unique design capability.
Fundamental engineering of the beforehand introduced “Venture 95” is anticipated to be accomplished within the coming weeks. Venture 95 is an initiative focusing on an elevated total metallurgical copper restoration fee of Kamoa-Kakula’s Section 1 and a pair of concentrators of roughly 95%, up from the present fee of roughly 87%.
As soon as the Section 3 concentrator has achieved industrial manufacturing, Kamoa-Kakula’s engineering crew will collect working information with the view to initiating a de-bottlenecking program to additional enhance the Section 3 concentrator processing capability above 5 Mt/y. The Section 1 and a pair of concentrators accomplished a de-bottlenecking program in February 2023, which elevated processing capability by roughly 20% above the unique design throughput.
Following the completion of Section 3, and given present market circumstances, Kamoa-Kakula’s engineering crew is investigating the acceleration of the challenge’s deliberate Section 4 growth. The Section 4 concentrator might be positioned adjoining to the Section 3 concentrator, with a minimal processing capability of 5 Mt/y, and can share widespread infrastructure with Section 3, together with the entrance finish (crushing and screening plant), which can cut back capital prices.
An up to date life-of-mine built-in growth plan for the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complicated, together with the Section 3 growth, smelter and Venture 95, in addition to additional optimization initiatives and the deliberate Section 4 growth is anticipated to be accomplished by the top of 2024.
