Dual-listed Ivanhoe Mines’ Phase 3 concentrator at the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has reached commercial production, the company announced on August 19.

Together, Kamoa-Kakula’s Phase 1, 2 and 3 concentrators achieved a combined monthly production record of 35 941 t of copper in July.

"Kamoa-Kakula's . . . production in July marks the onset of rapid copper growth over the second half of 2024, with Phase 3 on track to increase annualised production capacity from approximately 450 000 t to over 600 000 t,” Ivanhoe executive co-chairperson Robert Friedland said.

He noted that the company was also pursuing avenues to maximise copper production from Kamoa-Kakula's current operating footprint, with recoveries expected to increase through the company’s Project 95 programme, and overall throughput to also increase through the near-term debottlenecking of the Phase 3 concentrator.

He said Ivanhoe would now advance planning on Kamoa-Kakula's Phase 4 expansion, while exploration continued on the adjacent Western Foreland licences.

Kamoa-Kakula’s Phase 3 concentrator was completed ahead of schedule on May 28, with copper concentrate production starting on June 10.

The Phase 3 concentrator subsequently achieved commercial production. This accelerated ramp-up schedule was primarily owing to experience gained from the ramp-up of the Phase 1 and 2 concentrators that also achieved commercial production over a similar period.

The Phase 3 concentrator is consistently milling at the nameplate processing rate of five-million tonnes a year. The company said that milling had also exceeded nameplate capacity by as much as 19% over 24 hours on multiple occasions.

Commissioning of the fine-grinding mills is the final stage of ramp-up required to achieve steady-state production, increasing recovery from about 80% to the nameplate target of 86%.

The fine-grinding mills, manufactured by Finnish company Metso, are currently undergoing installation with commissioning expected to begin from the end of August.

Following the Project 95 basic engineering work that was recently completed on the Phase 1 and 2 concentrators, Kamoa Copper’s engineering team will soon begin study work targeting an increase in the Phase 3 concentrator’s recovery rate to more than 90%, as well as a further increase in processing capacity.

Since first production, the Phase 3 concentrator has produced more than 11 000 t of copper in concentrate. The first sale of copper concentrate produced by the Phase 3 concentrator took place in July, with all concentrate produced so far toll smelted at the nearby Lualaba copper smelter (LCS) in Kolwezi.

So far, more than 33 000 wet metric tonnes of copper concentrate have been delivered to LCS.

In the fourth quarter, prior to the heat-up of the onsite copper smelter at Kamoa-Kakula in early 2025, a portion of the Phase 3 copper concentrate will be stockpiled onsite, with the remainder delivered to LCS.

On a standalone basis, the Phase 3 concentrator is expected to produce about 150 000 t/y of copper. In addition to the Phase 1 and 2 concentrators, total copper production capacity at Kamoa-Kakula is expected to be more than 600 000 t/y, making it the third-largest copper mining operation globally.