Ivanhoe Mines, Zijin Mining Group, Crystal River Global and the Congolese government welcomed the positive results of the independent final feasibility study (DFS) on the Kakula copper project.
This study, together with the latest pre-feasibility study (PFS), including ore mined from the nearby Kansoko copper mine and ore mined from Kakula, will be the copper ore discovered so far in the Kamoa-Kakula project in the central copper belt of the Democratic Republic of Congo Development provides a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for expanded development.
These studies and evaluations are collectively referred to as the 2020 Kamoa-Kakula Project Comprehensive Development Plan.
On September 10th, Ivanhoe Mines will discuss this plan with stakeholders to consider various expansion options for the project.
Ivanhoe said that DFS has evaluated the 6 million tons per year Kakura Mine, which is already under construction but can be further expanded.
PFS estimates that the annual mining volume of the Kansoko Mine is 1.6 million tons, and the annual mining volume of the Kakula Mine is 6 million tons, to meet the needs of a 7.6 million tons of processing plant in Kakula.
PEA evaluated a comprehensive, multi-stage development to achieve an annual output of 19 million tons.
According to the plan to gradually expand to 19 million tons, the Kamoa-Kakula copper mine will become the world's second largest copper mine production base, and its annual copper output will exceed 800,000 tons.
The remaining initial capital cost of these three development options is estimated to be between US$600 million and US$700 million, with Ivanhoe holding approximately 50% of the shares.
