Name and Location
Kibali gold mine.

Location
Orientale province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Client
The Kibali joint venture comprises Randgold Resources (45%), AngloGold Ashanti (45%) and DRC State-owned mining company Société des Mines d’Or de Kilo-Moto (10%).

Randgold is the developer and operator of the mine.

Project Description
Kibali ranks as one of the largest gold mines in Africa. It has a reserve base estimated at 11.6-million ounces and it continues to grow.

The mine comprises an integrated openpit and underground operation, as well as a 7.2-million-tonne-a-year processing plant.

Production from the project’s openpit started in September 2013.

The underground mine includes a twin decline and single-shaft vertical system, and four hydropower stations supported by a thermal power station for low rainfall periods and as back-up.

Jobs To Be Created
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Value
The project represents an investment of more than $2.5-billion by the project partners.

Duration
Production from the openpit started in September 2013.

The vertical shaft system is expected to be handed over in 2017.

Latest Developments
Kibali is expected to be in full production this year, following the successful commissioning of its underground operation’s integrated automated ore handling and hoisting system.

Randgold chief executive Mark Bristow has said that the project is on track to produce its more than 700 000 targeted ounces of gold in 2018, making it one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Its high level of mechanisation, which features multiple driverless loaders operating with full automation, as well as a single haulage drive with a high-strength surface, is believed to be a first for the gold mining industry in Africa.

In addition to completing the underground haulage and hoisting system, the team has settled the processing challenges, improving the recovery while keeping throughput above the plant’s nameplate design level.  Simultaneously, the mine’s conversion to the latest ISO 14001:2015 environmental standard has been successfully certified, thereby enabling the mine to align itself with the new, and yet to be published, ISO 45001 safety standards.

Yet to be completed is ramping up the underground production and completing the construction of Azambi, Kibali’s third new hydropower station, which is scheduled to come on line into the grid by mid- 2018.

Bristow has noted that with development expenditure tapering off, Kibali should now be in a position to start repaying its capital loans.  Unfortunately, owing to the continued nonrepayment of tax credits amounting to $192-million, Kibali’s shareholders have had to inject more money into the operation during the past year to enable the mine to pay its creditors.

“The surprise retabling of the controversial new draft mining code, which takes no account of the industry’s very serious concerns about the negative impact it will have on any prospect of further investment in this sector, is particularly disappointing.  I appeal again to government to engage with the industry in the formulation of a code that will stimulate this key component of the DRC’s economy instead of crippling it.”

Bristow has emphasised that Randgold remains committed to a future in the DRC and is already hunting for new development opportunities there. 

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Byrnecut (underground development); Shaft Sinkers (vertical shaft development); DTP (openpit mining) and DRA (metallurgical facility design and engineering, procurement and construction management).

On Budget and on Time?
The Kibali openpit was successfully commissioned ahead of schedule and within budget on September 24, 2013.

Contact Details for Project Information
Randgold Resources, tel +44 20 7557 7738 or email randgold@dpapr.com.