At present, about 98% of the overall construction of 3.8 million ton/year mineral processing facilities in the first series of the Kamoa-Kakura Copper Mine Phase I under Zijin Mining has been completed, and the beneficiation plant has been basically completed.
The first three stages of production preparation have been successfully carried out, and the fourth stage of feeding test is about to enter ahead of schedule. The first batch of copper concentrate production is expected to be realized in late this month or early June, significantly ahead of the original plan.
△ Expected increase in the amount of copper metal in the surface mound at Kamoa-Kakura mine until July 2021.
The dashed line is a projection based on the pre-feasibility study for 2020.
Kamoa-Kakura copper mine set a new monthly development record in April, completing a total of about 42.2 km. Before the project was put into operation, the surface storage yard had stored about 3 million tons of high grade and medium grade ore, with an average copper grade of about 4.74% and copper metal content of more than 140,000 tons.
The Kamoa-Kakura mine, with reserves of more than 43.69 million tons, will be the world's highest grade major copper mine once it is put into operation, initially producing 3.8 million tons of ore per year with an estimated average milling grade of more than 6.0%, followed by an increase in capacity to 7.6 million tons per year in Q3 2022, producing 400,000 tons of copper per year.
△ Series I concentrators are now provided with long-term water and electricity supplies
The engineering design, procurement and construction of the 3.8 million ton/year selection plant (phase II) in the second series of the first phase of the project proceeded smoothly. The key earthwork and civil engineering exceeded the established target. The equipment and materials purchased in advance were successively completed and arrived at the site, and the installation contract of the project was signed as planned.
With copper prices continuing to improve (currently around $9,950 / mt), Kamoa-Kakura is accelerating its Phase III research expansion to increase the concentrator's capacity to 11.4 MMtpa, which will bring copper production to 530,000 MMtpa.
The Kamoa-Kakura Copper Mine has integrated ESG concepts into the construction process, and an agreement for the sale of copper concentrate for the first phase of the project is imminent.
By world standards, Kakula expects to produce very high grade clean copper concentrate (over 55% copper) with very low arsenic content of approximately 0.01%, which will be a highly anticipated green feedstock for smelters around the world.
△ The Kamoa-Kakura Copper Mine helps communities build fish ponds
The mine continues to carry out the "Sustainable Livelihood Plan" and is building 100 new fish ponds in the surrounding area to further improve food security and economic development in the area.
An independent review of Kamoa-Kakura's 2020 GHG intensity targets by Hatch Ltd. of Canada determined that the project will have one of the lowest GHG emissions per unit of copper in the world.
