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Kolwezi

Kolwezi is a mining city in the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the capital of Lualaba province. The city sits at the heart of the Congolese Copperbelt, one of the world's richest mineral zones, and serves as a major centre for copper and cobalt extraction. Kolwezi's economy is dominated by large-scale industrial mining operations alongside a significant artisanal and small-scale mining sector. The city is home to several major mining facilities, including operations run by international mining companies and state-owned enterprises, which produce substantial volumes of cobalt—a critical mineral for battery production and the global energy transition. Kolwezi's cobalt output accounts for a significant share of global supply, making the city strategically important to electric vehicle and renewable energy supply chains. The presence of artisanal miners working alongside industrial operators has raised ongoing concerns about labour conditions, environmental management and supply-chain transparency. Kolwezi's population has grown rapidly in recent decades, driven by migration linked to mining employment and economic opportunities. The city's infrastructure and public services have struggled to keep pace with this expansion. Kolwezi was established as a mining settlement in the early twentieth century during the colonial era, when copper deposits in the region were first exploited on an industrial scale. Since independence, the city has remained central to the Democratic Republic of the Congo's mineral exports and fiscal revenues.

Kolwezi Updates


Where corrosion meets control
Where corrosion meets control
13th May 2026

(Virtual Showroom) Reliable level measurement is essential in copper and cobalt processing, and at KCC, VEGA Controls (Pty) Ltd is helping ensure uninterrupted operations with robust vibrating... 


The first batch of 99.7%-pure copper anodes from Kamoa-Kakula’s 500 000 t/y direct-to-blister copper smelter arrived at the Port of Lobito, following just a one-week journey using the Lobito Railway Corridor. The anodes are set to arrive in Europe for refining in May.
Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex, Democratic Republic of Congo – update
17th April 2026 By: Sheila Barradas

Recovery efforts are advancing following the updated March 31, 2026, technical report. 


The Kamoa-Kakula mine
Ivanhoe reports 71 417 t of copper from Kamoa-Kakula, record 6% increase in production from Kipushi
13th April 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines has produced 71 417 t of copper in blister and anode from its Kamoa-Kakula copper smelter, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), for the first quarter of this year.... 


Lobito railway siding
Lobito Corridor railway project, Angola – update
27th March 2026 By: Sheila Barradas

Volumes are expected to continue increasing steadily through the Lobito Corridor as Lobito Atlantic Railway establishes itself as a reliable, high-capacity export route. 


Trafigura and Kamoa Copper copper anode shipment
Trafigura, Kamoa Copper undertake maiden copper anode sale, Lobito Corridor slashes transport time
20th February 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

Metals trader Trafigura and TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines’ Kamoa Copper business in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has successfully completed its first sale of low-carbon copper anodes, which is... 


Mining with a human face: How to formalise artisanal and small-scale mining
13th February 2026

Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is a significant part of the global mineral economy. In fact, 45 million people across the world work directly in ASM, with estimates indicating as many as... 


Cobalt and copper sourced from DRC artisanal miners to be transported on Lobito corridor
Cobalt and copper sourced from DRC artisanal miners to be transported on Lobito corridor
9th February 2026 By: Terence Creamer

In a milestone for the Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR), which links the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to a deep-water port in Angola, Entreprise Générale du Cobalt (EGC) and Trafigura have... 


Kamoa Kakula
Ivanhoe meets Kamoa, Kipushi targets, lifts 2026 outlook
6th February 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines has reported that copper production at the Kamoa-Kakula copper complex, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), reached 388 838 t of copper in concentrate in 2025,... 


Kamoa-Kakula complex
Ivanhoe announces first anode production from Kamoa-Kakula copper smelter
23rd January 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines has announced that the first copper anodes were produced by Kamoa-Kakula’s on-site, state-of-the-art 500 000 t/y direct-to-blister copper smelter, in the Democratic... 


The above image depicts a mine site
DRC balances production, sustainability
16th January 2026 By: Lynne Davies

As the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) works to leverage its mining sector for broader economic upliftment, it is balancing rising copper and cobalt production with the need to align operations... 


Kamoa Kakula
Ivanhoe achieves production guidance for Kamoa, Kipushi, provides 2026 guidance
15th January 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines has reported that copper production at the Kamoa-Kakula copper complex, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), reached 388 838 t of copper in concentrate in 2025,... 


A view over the casting wheels during the first batch of anodes produced by the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Smelter on December 29, 2025
Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex, Democratic Republic of Congo – update
9th January 2026 By: Sheila Barradas

Ivanhoe Mines has produced the first copper anodes at its direct-to-blister copper smelter at the Kamoa-Kakula complex. 


Image of railway track
Lobito Atlantic Railway project, Angola – update
9th January 2026 By: Sheila Barradas

The project has secured a $753-million financing package. 


Kamoa-Kakula complex
Ivanhoe announces first anode production from Kamoa-Kakula copper smelter
5th January 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines has announced that the first copper anodes were produced by Kamoa-Kakula’s on-site, state-of-the-art 500 000 t/y direct-to-blister copper smelter, in the Democratic... 


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pqt: 0.147s - ct: 0.22s - 240pq - 2rq
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