Canadian miner Ivanhoe Mines indicates that its Kamoa-Kakula Mining Complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) produced 333 497 t of copper in concentrate in 2022, achieving the upper-end of the original 2022 production guidance range of 290 000 t to 340 000 t.

Kamoa-Kakula’s 2022 production achievement represents a year-on-year increase of 215%.

Kamoa-Kakula’s 2022 production guidance was raised from an initial range of 290 000 t to 340 000 t, following the successful ramp-up of Kamoa Copper’s Phase 2 concentrator plant, which was commissioned several months ahead of schedule and declared commercial production on April 7, 2022.

During the fourth quarter, Kamoa-Kakula produced 92 761 t of copper. Kamoa-Kakula also reported 93 288 t of copper floated, which includes the contained copper still in the circuit that was floated, but has not yet been filtered to produce a final concentrate.

As of December 31, there was a balance of about 5 670 t of copper in the circuit, which will be filtered into a final concentrate once the debottlenecking programme is complete.

For the 2022 full-year, in line with the Kamoa-Kakula’s upper end of guidance, 338 087 t of contained copper were floated.

The 2023 production guidance for Kamoa-Kakula is estimated at between 390 000 t and 430 000 t of copper in concentrate, following the anticipated completion of the debottlenecking programme early in the second quarter.

Kamoa Copper’s previously announced debottlenecking programme is over 90% complete and is progressing ahead of schedule. All the major equipment for the programme, including the fourth Larox filter press from Metso Outotec of Espoo, Finland, has been delivered to the site.

The final step of installation will take place over the next few months, with cold commissioning targeted to take place in April.

“Kamoa-Kakula has firmly established a record of excellence during the development of Phase 1 and Phase 2 operations, which has led to an industry-leading growth profile in terms of copper production that will continue as we bring Phase 3 on line.

“Kamoa-Kakula also stands out among its peers as one of the few mining operations worldwide to strongly deliver on its original 2022 production guidance, which is a further testament to the team of engineers and contractors who commissioned the Phase 2 concentrator several months ahead of schedule,” comments executive co-chairperson Robert Friedland.

“With the Phase 3 expansion well on track, including the integration of Africa's largest single-line blister-copper flash smelter, Kamoa-Kakula is poised to become one of the world's leading producers of vital copper metal for global markets . . . a producer that will have one of the lowest, if not the lowest, carbon footprints in the industry,” he adds.

The Kamoa-Kakula 2023 Integrated Development Plan will be issued during the week of January 30, and will include cash cost and capital expenditure guidance.