TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines reports that excellent progress is being made in the construction of the Kakula copper mine – the stage one, 6 Mt/a operation – on the tier-one Kamoa-Kakula project near Kolwezi in the DRC.
On April 25, 2019, Ivanhoe announced that China-based CITIC Metal had agreed to invest an additional C$612 million (US$459 million) in Ivanhoe by way of a private placement. Since that announcement, the pace of underground mine development has accelerated and the first access drives are approaching Kakula’s initial high-grade ore. In addition, Ivanhoe and its joint-venture partner, Zijin Mining, have commenced earthworks for the surface processing plant and have issued tenders for the long-lead mining and processing equipment. Initial copper concentrate production from the Kakula mine is currently scheduled for the third quarter of 2021.
The first two high-capacity ventilation fans installed at Kakula’s northern declines (photo: Ivanhoe Mines).
The initial, five-year, detailed mine design has now been finalised and production scheduling is in progress. The full, detailed mine design will be included in the independent definitive feasibility study that is expected to be published early next year.
“With the initial mine development of Kakula soon to be fully financed, we now are focused on rapidly advancing the construction of surface infrastructure and the processing plant to match the accelerating pace of development of the underground mine workings and to transform Kakula into one of the world’s greatest copper mines. The shallow, thick, high-grade nature of the orebody will allow us to ramp up production quickly,” comments Robert Friedland, Co-Chairman of Ivanhoe.
“The significant progress to date has been the result of the collaborative efforts of many international and DRC-based stakeholders. Now that development is well underway and we have a clear line of sight to the first copper production, it is our goal to take as many top-tier international, institutional mining investors to the mine site so that they can see first-hand the scope and quality of development work being performed by the Kamoa-Kakula team, many of whom are from the communities surrounding the project.
“These investors also will get to see the drill core from the new Kamoa North Bonanza Zone – with multiple, thick intercepts that run greater than 15 % copper – and gain an in-depth appreciation as to why we are so excited about the potential of this extraordinary discovery.”
Approximately 2 500 employees and contractors are now working at Kamoa-Kakula as Ivanhoe and its partners advance the project. Congolese nationals comprise more than 90 % of the current workforce.
A total of 647 m of underground development was completed in May, approximately 100 m more than achieved in April. Lower-grade development ore is being stockpiled on surface near the site of the concentrator plant. This ore will be used for plant commissioning. Mine access drives 1 and 2 (interconnected, parallel tunnels that will provide access to ore zones) are approximately 200 m from Kakula’s initial high-grade mining area, and these priority drives are expected to intersect the higher grade ore in late July or early August this year.
The Kakula mine access is via twin declines on the northern side (which have been completed) and a single decline on the south side of the deposit (under development). One of the northern declines will be the mine’s primary access way, while the other will be for the ore conveyor haulage system. The southern ventilation decline will serve as a secondary access and will facilitate the acceleration of critical, early mine development.
From the bottom of the northern and southern declines, a pair of perimeter drifts will be driven to the east and west extremities of the deposit and will serve as the primary accesses to the production areas. These drifts will also be used as the primary intake and exhaust ventilation circuits and will connect with the intake and exhaust ventilation shafts. Underground access to the first raise bore ventilation shaft has been reached. The pilot hole for the 177-m raise bore has been completed and reaming of the 5,5-m diameter ventilation shaft is expected to be completed in July.
The primary ore handling system will include perimeter conveyor drifts and load-out points along the north side of the deposit. The perimeter conveyor drifts will terminate at the main conveyor decline. Connection drifts between the north and south perimeter drifts will provide access and ventilation to the planned mining areas. Approximately 99 % of the deposit will be mined using the drift-and-fill method, which was chosen to maximise the overall extraction of Kakula ore.
