Ivanhoe Mines announces outstanding economic results of the independent Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for the tier one Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project
September 8, 2020
Ivanhoe Mines announces outstanding economic results of the
independent Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for the tier one
Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project
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The IDP comprises three development scenarios: Kakula definitive
feasibility study (DFS), Kakula-Kansoko pre-feasibility study (PFS), and
Kamoa-Kakula preliminary economic assessment (PEA)
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Ultra-high copper grades; clean, renewable hydropower; and
approximately half of tailings stored underground, positions Kamoa-
Kakula to produce the world's most environmentally-responsible copper
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The DFS evaluates the stage-one, 6-million-tonnes-per-annum (Mtpa)
Kakula Mine currently being constructed; this first stage yields an after-tax
NPV8% of US$5.5 billion, IRR of 77% over a 21-year mine life, and payback
of 2.3 years
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Ivanhoe fully funded to initial production at the Kakula Mine − expected in
less than a year. Kakula’s expected average ore-feed grade is 6.6% copper,
and mine-site cash cost US$0.48/lb. copper, in first five years of operation
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The PFS evaluates mining 1.6 Mtpa from the Kansoko Mine, in addition to
6 Mtpa from Kakula, to fill a 7.6-Mtpa processing plant at Kakula; this
scenario yields an after-tax NPV8% of US$6.6 billion, IRR of 69% over a 37-
year mine life, and payback of 2.5 years
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The PEA evaluates an integrated, multi-staged development to achieve a
19-Mtpa production rate; yielding a potential after-tax NPV8% of US$11.1
billion, IRR of 56% over a plus 40-year mine life, and payback of 3.6 years
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The phased expansion scenario to 19 Mtpa would position Kamoa-Kakula
as the world’s second largest copper mining complex, with peak annual
copper production of more than 800,000 tonnes
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Estimated remaining initial capital cost for all three development scenarios
is between US$0.6 billion and US$0.7 billion, of which Ivanhoe’s share is
approximately 50%, with subsequent expansions funded by cash flows
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Kamoa-Kakula engineers are working to further optimize the mine plan and
bring forward, from Q1 2023 to Q2 2022, the expansion of the Kakula
processing plant to 7.6 Mtpa
KOLWEZI, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO – Ivanhoe Mines’ (TSX: IVN;
OTCQX:IVPAF) Co-Chairs Robert Friedland and Yufeng “Miles” Sun announced
today that the company and its partners, Zijin Mining Group, Crystal River Global
Limited and the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), welcome
the extremely positive findings of an independent definitive feasibility study (DFS)
for the development of the Kakula Copper Mine; together with an updated pre-
feasibility study (PFS) that includes ore mined from the nearby Kansoko Copper
Mine in addition to ore mined from Kakula; and an updated, expanded preliminary
economic assessment (PEA) for the overall development plan of all the copper
discoveries made to date at the Kamoa-Kakula Project on the Central African
Copperbelt in the DRC.
Today's DFS, PFS and updated PEA, collectively referred to as the Kamoa-Kakula
Integrated Development Plan 2020 (Kamoa-Kakula IDP20), builds on the excellent
results of the previous studies announced in February 2019. The new DFS
incorporates the advancement of development and construction activities to date,
and has once again confirmed the outstanding economics of the first phase Kakula
Mine. As well, the expanded PEA shows the excellent potential to develop the
project to a much larger scale and with a significantly larger production capacity.
Economics for all three studies modelled on a 100%-equity basis
“The definitive feasibility study is an independent verification by nine of the world’s
top engineering firms of the robust economics generated by our initial, 6-Mtpa
starter mine at Kakula; while the updated preliminary economic assessment is
further validation of Kamoa-Kakula’s potential to rapidly expand to become the
world’s second largest copper mine, with annual copper output of more than 800,000
tonnes,” said Mr. Friedland.
“The definitive feasibility study also confirms what we’ve been telling investors for
the past year and a half, and showcasing monthly in our progress galleries – the
Kakula Mine is being rapidly built, it is ahead of schedule, and is on budget. The
estimated remaining initial capital costs for the phased development at Kamoa-
Kakula is US$0.7 billion, of which an estimated US$0.65 billion is to complete the 6-
Mtpa mine at Kakula. Our proportionate share of the remaining initial capital costs is
approximately 50%, with subsequent expansions funded by cash flows. The
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economic models assume financing will be on the basis of 100% equity, providing
the opportunity to increase returns by leveraging commercial or other debt
facilities.”
“Most importantly, the Kakula Mine has been designed to produce the world's most
environmentally-responsible copper, which is crucial for today’s new generation of
environmentally- and socially-focused investors.
“Zijin shares our commitment to build the new mines at Kamoa-Kakula to industry-
leading standards in terms of resource efficiency, water and energy usage, and
minimizing emissions. We are blessed with ultra-high copper grades in thick,
shallow and flat-lying orebodies ─ allowing for large-scale, highly-productive,
mechanized underground mining operations; and access to abundant clean,
sustainable hydro electricity to power our mines ─ providing us with a distinct
advantage in our goal to become the world's 'greenest' copper miner and be among
the world's lowest greenhouse gas emitters per unit of copper produced.
Hatch Ltd., a leading engineering firm, to independently audit the
greenhouse gas intensity metrics for Kamoa-Kakula’ copper
Mr. Friedland also said that Kamoa-Kakula recently retained Hatch Ltd., of
Mississauga, Canada, a leading, international environmental consulting firm, to
independently audit the greenhouse gas intensity metrics for the copper that will be
produced at Kamoa-Kakula, demonstrating the company’s pledge to be a leader in
environmentally-responsible copper mining.
“Kakula is projected to have an average grade of 6.6% copper over the initial five
years of operation ─ a grade that is an order of magnitude higher than the majority
of the world’s other major copper mines. In addition, approximately one half of the
mine’s tailings will be mixed with cement and pumped back underground to fill
mined-out voids, resulting in a surface tailings containment facility that is tiny
compared to other major mines.
“Massive, high-grade deposits like we have found at Kamoa-Kakula ─ which have
the potential to produce large quantities of copper for multiple generations ─ are
very long-term plays. Conventional discounted cash flow analysis does not
appropriately appraise the long-term option value inherent in tier one assets like
Kamoa-Kakula. As history has shown, such large-scale assets that produce for
decades − through multiple commodity cycles − tend to generate profound value
through phased expansions and exploration over their mine lives.
“People involved in the mining industry understand how incredibly challenging and
time consuming it is to discover, permit, and build a tier-one mine anywhere in the
world today. Kamoa-Kakula’s success is a testament to the perseverance and
entrepreneurial spirit of the entire Ivanhoe management team; our talented
employees at Kamoa-Kakula, comprised mainly of bright, young Congolese men and
women; as well as the outstanding cooperation and teamwork of our joint-venture
partners − Zijin Mining, Crystal River and the government of the DRC.
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“Kakula is on track to begin production in under one year from now, which,
considering we’ve been working in Africa for 27 years now, feels like tomorrow
morning. I look forward to welcoming our loyal institutional shareholders, mining
analysts and government supporters to our grand opening ceremony to witness
firsthand the state-of-the-art mining complex we are building at Kamoa-Kakula. Our
guests also will see the remarkable, recent infrastructure upgrades in the area
around our project, including new highways, power plants and transmission lines,”
Mr. Friedland concluded.
Developing the world’s next great copper district
Mr. Sun commented: “In our journey to build Kamoa-Kakula and our adjoining,
wholly-owned Western Foreland exploration licences, into the world’s next great
copper district, Kakula is the first step. Our opportunity for value creation for all
stakeholders is tremendous. Together with the DRC government and our Chinese
partners, we are united in our shared objective of ensuring that the major copper
discoveries we have made at Kamoa and Kakula, and the new discoveries still to
come, can be predictably, efficiently and expeditiously developed into a world-scale
mining venture with a lifespan of multiple generations.”
“We will continue working closely with our partners and the Congolese people to
realize the full potential of Kamoa-Kakula and Western Foreland, generating widely-
shared economic benefits and providing skills training to young Congolese women
and men for the thousands of meaningful direct and indirect jobs that will be created
in the years ahead,” Mr. Sun added.
Kamoa-Kakula providing good, well-paying jobs for local Congolese and
meaningful community benefits
Marna Cloete, Ivanhoe President and CFO, said: “Approximately 85% of our 4,700-
strong workforce at Kamoa-Kakula are Congolese from nearby communities in
Lualaba Province, and we continue to train and develop our local employees into
management positions. We are extremely proud of our talented team of Congolese
women and men.”
“We also are very proud of the meaningful community benefits and economic
opportunities generated by our Sustainable Livelihoods team at Kamoa-Kakula,
including new schools, housing, clinics, fish farms and sustainable agriculture
initiatives, and enterprise development opportunities in the project’s supply chain
for local community members.”
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Development scenarios at Kamoa-Kakula
The Kamoa-Kakula Integrated Development Plan 2020 encompasses three
development scenarios:
Definitive feasibility study for stage one Kakula Mine development. The Kakula
2020 DFS evaluates the development of a stage one, 6-Mtpa underground mine
and surface processing complex at the Kakula Deposit with a capacity of 7.6
Mtpa, built in two modules of 3.8 Mtpa, with the first already under advanced
construction.
Pre-feasibility study including Kansoko Mine development. The Kakula-Kansoko
2020 PFS evaluates the development of mining activities at the Kansoko Deposit
in addition to the Kakula Mine, initially at a rate of 1.6 Mtpa to fill the concentrator
at Kakula, eventually ramping up to 6 Mtpa as the reserves at Kakula are
depleted.
Expanded, subsequent development to four producing mines. The Kamoa-Kakula
2020 PEA includes an analysis of the potential for an integrated, 19-Mtpa, multi-
stage development, beginning with initial production from the Kakula Mine, to be
followed by subsequent, separate underground mining operations at the nearby
Kansoko, Kakula West and Kamoa North mines, along with the construction of a
direct-to-blister smelter. The Kamoa North Area comprises five separate mines
that would be developed as resources are mined out elsewhere, to maintain the
production rate at up to 19 Mtpa, with an overall life in excess of 40 years.
The Kamoa-Kakula IDP20, which includes the Kakula 2020 DFS, Kakula-Kansoko
2020 PFS and Kamoa-Kakula 2020 PEA, was independently prepared on a 100%-
basis by OreWin Pty Ltd. of Adelaide, Australia; China Nerin Engineering Co., Ltd., of
Jiangxi, China; DRA Global of Johannesburg, South Africa; Epoch Resources of
Johannesburg, South Africa; Golder Associates Africa of Midrand, South Africa;
KGHM Cuprum R&D Centre Ltd. of Wroclaw, Poland; Outotec Oyj of Helsinki,
Finland; Paterson and Cooke of Cape Town, South Africa; Stantec Consulting
International LLC of Phoenix, USA; SRK Consulting Inc. of Johannesburg, South
Africa; and Wood plc of Reno, USA.
The Kamoa-Kakula 2020 PEA is preliminary in nature and includes an economic
analysis that is based, in part, on Inferred Mineral Resources. Inferred Mineral
Resources are considered too speculative geologically for the application of
economic considerations that would allow them to be categorized as Mineral
Reserves – and there is no certainty that the results will be realized. Mineral
Resources do not have demonstrated economic viability and are not Mineral
Reserves.
A National Instrument 43-101 technical report will be filed on SEDAR at
www.sedar.com and on the Ivanhoe Mines website at www.ivanhoemines.com within
45 days of the issuance of this news release.
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First copper production expected in less than a year
On September 1, 2020, Ivanhoe Mines issued a detailed update on the development
and construction progress being made at the Kakula and Kansoko mines.
Underground development at the Kakula Copper Mine totalled 1,842 metres in
August, bringing the cumulative total underground development completed to date
to more than 20.6 kilometres – 6.0 kilometres ahead of schedule. A second mining
crew was recently added at Kamoa-Kakula’s second underground mine – Kansoko –
providing the project with another source of high-grade copper ore.
At the end of August, the project’s pre-production surface ore stockpiles totalled an
estimated 671,000 tonnes grading 3.36% copper, including 116,000 tonnes of high-
grade ore grading 6.08% copper. The stockpiles grade will continue to increase as
the project approaches initial production, as beginning this month the majority of
mining at Kakula is expected to be in ore zones near the centre of the deposit that
have copper grades of between 5% and 8%.
Installation of ball mills and other major equipment for Kakula’s first, 3.8-Mtpa
processing plant module is well underway. The final shipments of long-lead
equipment for the processing plant are scheduled to arrive at site by the end of
September, 2020.
Ivanhoe is fully funded to first copper production at Kamoa-Kakula, which is
scheduled to begin in less than one year from now, in Q3 2021.
Aerial view of the Kakula Mine. The growing pre-production stockpile of high-
grade copper ore and Kakula main northern decline is in the red circle; the
initial 3.8-Mtpa processing plant under construction and the area that will be
used to expand the processing plant to 7.6 Mtpa − currently being used as an
equipment lay-down area - are both are in the yellow circle.
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One of Kakula’s new, high-productivity, 63-tonne underground ore trucks
from Sandvik, of Stockholm, Sweden. Designed with operator safety in mind,
the truck also is equipped with an air-conditioned cabin.
In late August, the discharge end, trunnion and shells were installed for the
9.75-metre-long and 6.1-metre-wide primary ball mill – the first of two identical
ball mills that will be used to grind the copper ore at Kakula’s initial 3.8-Mtpa
processing plant.
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A 400-tonne crane lifting the structural steel flotation platforms onto concrete
foundations at Kakula’s initial 3.8-Mtpa processing plant.
Miner Freddy Muba holds a piece of ultra-high-grade, chalcocite-rich ore at
the Kakula Mine. Kakula’s high concentration of chalcocite ore – which is
almost 80% copper by weight − accounts for the mine’s average feed grade of
6.6% copper over the first five years of operations, and 5.2% copper on
average over a 21-year life.