Ivanhoe Mines has begun the heat up phase of its 500,000 t/y direct to blister copper smelter at the Kamoa-Kakula complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), marking a major milestone toward full commissioning. The first feed of concentrate is expected by year-end, the Canadian miner said in a statement issued on December 1.
The heat-up launch was celebrated on November 21 with a traditional blessing led by Chief Musokantanda Sabuni Kafweku, representing the local communities around Kamoa Kakula.
The ceremony began at a traditional copper furnace, known as an lwanzo lwa mikuba, prepared by Chief of Land Muvunda and his team. Commemorative Katanga Crosses were smelted as part of the ritual.
Chief Kafweku then carried a ceremonial flame from the traditional furnace to the new smelter, handing it to Ivanhoe Mines founder and co-chair Robert Friedland, who lit a torch symbolizing the start of the heat-up process. The torch was passed among senior leaders from Ivanhoe Mines and Kamoa Copper before being placed inside the smelter to provide the ignition source.
“This ceremony is more than a ritual, it represents transformative change at Kamoa-Kakula,” Friedland said. “From discovering high-grade copper here in 2008 to igniting a facility that will set a new standard for global copper smelting, we are witnessing a significant moment for the DRC’s mining industry.”
Heat-Up Progress and Commissioning Work
Ivanhoe reported that furnace temperature has reached 800°C, where it will remain for nine days during hot commissioning of the boiler, steam systems and concentrate dryer.
Commissioning of the furnace electrodes and the acid circuit is also under way.
A 60 MWuninterruptible power supply (UPS) unit, designed to provide up to two hours of instant back-up power, is nearing completion. The UPS is intended to safeguard the smelter from instability on the DRC grid.
The operation is further supported by 180 MW of on-site diesel generation capacity.
Processing Strategy and Inventory
Management plans to prioritise treating concentrate from Kamoa Kakula’s Phase 1, 2 and 3 concentrators through the new facility. Any excess material will continue to be toll treated at the Lualaba Copper Smelter in Kolwezi.
Before start up, on-site concentrate stockpiles contained roughly 37,000 t of copper. As the smelter ramps up, unsold concentrate held on site and within the smelting circuit is expected to fall to around 17,000 t by 2026. Ivanhoe says that once fully operational, the Kamoa-Kakula smelter will be the largest and greenest copper smelter in Africa, strengthening the complex’s position as one of the world’s most advanced and sustainable copper operations.
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