An employee of a contractor at the Kamoa-Kakula copper project, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), passed away last week, after a fat embolism syndrome caused severe brain damage, Canada’s Ivanhoe Mines has reported.
Fat embolism syndrome is a rare complication of long bone fractures. The contract employee suffered a broken bone in a workplace accident on January 21. The accident involved a contractor-operated underground utility vehicle at the Kakula mine, the company explained.
The Kamoa-Kakula copper project is a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines (39.6%), Zijin Mining Group (39.6%), Crystal River Global (0.8%) and the DRC government (20%).