Canadian miner Ivanhoe Mines’ Kamoa-Kakula Mining Complex, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has set a new quarterly production record in the first quarter of this year, with 55 602 t of copper-in-concentrate produced.
Kamoa Copper milled 1.08-million ore tonnes during the quarter at an average feed grade of 5.91% copper.
Commercial production of the 3.8-million-tonne-a-year Phase 2 concentrator plant at Kamoa-Kakula was successfully declared on April 7.
Moreover, Kamoa-Kakula set a new daily production record on April 8, with 25 126 t milled and 1 202 t of copper produced.
Management expects the early commissioning of the Phase 2 concentrator plant will enable Kamoa Copper to reach the upper end of its 2022 copper production guidance of 290 000 t to 340 000 t.
First ore was introduced into the Phase 2 milling circuit on March 21, and first copper concentrate was produced about four months ahead of schedule.
The Phase 2 concentrator plant is a mirror image of the Phase 1 plant, with a design throughput of 475 dry tonnes an hour, or 3.8-million tonnes a year.
Over the last six months, the Phase 1 plant has consistently exceeded design ore throughput by about 10% to 15%, Ivanhoe says.
It adds that, during the first 17 days of production, Phase 2 regularly exceeded its design throughput capacity, and continues to perform at similar throughput and recovery rates as the Phase 1 concentrator.
Kamoa Copper will increase its annualised copper production rate to more than 400 000 t from this month forward.