JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – TSX-listed copper and cobalt miner Katanga Mining will focus on continuing design optimisation and construction of its whole ore leach (WOL) project during the fourth quarter.
The Democratic Republic of Congo-focused miner in September 2015 suspended the processing of copper and cobalt during the construction phase of the project, owing to a depressed copper market, which continued through to the third quarter of this year.
Production at the processing plant is not expected to resume until the WOL project is commissioned, which is expected in the second half of 2017.
“Concurrent with the construction of the WOL project plant and infrastructure, the current life-of-mine plan continues to be optimised to ensure the appropriate blend will be supplied to the WOL project process, when complete, to increase copper and cobalt recovery and to reduce operating cost per unit,” the company said in a statement on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the company reported that openpit mining operations were expected to continue, with a focus on waste mining and remediation activities following the geotechnical failure at its KOV openpit mine, in March.
Further, care-and-maintenance activities in the underground mine and at the KTC concentrator and Luilu metallurgical facility are also expected to continue, with the progressing of various initiatives relating to cost base reduction, consumable inventory reductions, staff training and process improvements expected to continue.