A 2,000mt an hour ore conveyor system has just become operational at the Kakula Copper Mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The conveyor system, which came online last month, is part of an underground development that includes an annual 3.8mn mt ore processing plant slated to open in Q3 2021. Upon completion, the copper mine will span 17-km below ground.
Several high-grade zones have already uncovered copper grades above 8pc, while the medium-grade sections contain 3-5pc copper. Moreover, 68,000mt of high-grade copper has already been stockpiled at Kakula North, which is estimated to be 5.9pc copper. Around 394,000mt of 2.71pc copper has been stockpiled between Kakula North, South, and Kansoko, Ivanhoe Mines said in a statement.
The project is a joint venture between Canada’s Ivanhoe Mines and Zijin Mining Group, both of which own 39.6pc, along with Crystal River Global, which owns 0.8pc, and the DRC government which controls 20pc.