Mining company Kamoa Copper plans to produce 9.2 million tonnes of copper per annum (Mtpa), up from 7.6 Mtpa, under a debottlenecking plan for Kamoa-Kakula to increase combined plant design processing phase 1 and 2 concentration of approximately 21% once steady-state production is achieved at both concentrators.
Co-chairmen Robert Friedland and Yufeng Miles Sun explained in a statement issued on February 22, 2022 that the plan in question is expected to increase annual copper production from the 2 phases of Kamoa-Kakula to more than 450,000 tons by the second quarter. 2023, to position the mine as the world’s fourth largest copper producer, with construction of Phase 2 of the 3.8 Mtpa mill nearing completion.
“Kamoa-Kakula is endowed with an incredible endowment of high quality copper resources. With our underground mine development and ore production progressing much ahead of schedule, the plant expansion will allow the operations team to process significantly more high-grade copper ore directly from Kakula mine in the years to come. The expansion also provides the team with the flexibility to utilize our surface stockpiles, for which mining is already being paid, which totaled over 4.4 million tonnes grading 4.61% copper at the end of January. said Kamoa Copper CEO Mark Farren.
It is in April 2022 that the hot commissioning of the concentrator is planned with the first ore and the initial production of copper concentrate.
