Kamoa Copper Reports Record Quarterly Production of 87,314 Tonnes of Copper in Q2 2022 Kamoa-Kakula produces record 30,379 tonnes of copper in June, Phase 2 achieves steady- state production at the end of May
Kamoa Copper Reports Record Quarterly
Production of 87,314 Tonnes of Copper in Q2
2022
Kamoa-Kakula produces record 30,379 tonnes of copper in June, Phase 2 achieves steady-
state production at the end of May
Ivanhoe Mines joins United Nations Global Compact, the largest corporate sustainability
initiative in the world
Basic engineering complete for Kamoa Copper's Phase 3 direct-to-blister flash smelter; order
for long-lead time equipment underway
Ivanhoe Mines to issue Q2 2022 financial results and host conference call for investors on
August 15
Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo--(Newsfile Corp. - July 5, 2022) - Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN)
(OTCQX: IVPAF) Co-Chairs Robert Friedland and Yufeng "Miles" Sun are pleased to announce that the
Kamoa-Kakula Mining Complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo has set a new quarterly
production record in the second quarter of 2022, with 87,314 tonnes of copper in concentrate
produced.
Kamoa-Kakula's Phase 1 and Phase 2 3.8-million-tonne-per-annum concentrator plants produced
30,379 tonnes of copper in concentrate during June 2022. This performance marks the third consecutive
month that Kamoa-Kakula has surpassed its throughput design capacity of 7.6 million tonnes per annum,
following the commissioning of Phase 2.
Kamoa Copper milled approximately 1.95 million ore tonnes during the second quarter at an
average feed grade of 5.44% copper. Copper recoveries were averaging more than 86% during June
2022, with feed grades averaging approximately 5.5% copper.
Ongoing mining optimization work at the Kakula Mine is targeting improved head grade during the
second half of 2022 towards 6% copper. Kamoa Copper is also evaluating additional material handling
capacity at Kakula to increase mining rates to feed the de-bottlenecked Phase 1 and 2 processing
capacity of 9.2 million tonnes per year, which will be incorporated into the Phase 3
expansion Pre-Feasibility Study scheduled for release in the second half of 2022.
The Phase 1 and Phase 2 concentrator plants are approaching a combined annualized production rate
of approximately 400,000 tonnes of copper in concentrate. The de-bottlenecking program is on track to
boost Kamoa Copper's annual production to approximately 450,000 tonnes of copper in concentrate
per year by the second quarter of 2023.
Management anticipates that the early commissioning of the Phase 2 concentrator plant in March 2022,
approximately four months ahead of schedule, will enable Kamoa Copper to deliver in the upper
range of its 2022 production guidance of 290,000 to 340,000 tonnes of copper in concentrate.
Kamoa-Kakula's Phase 1 and Phase 2 concentrator plants produced a record 30,379 tonnes of copper
in June 2022. Kamoa Copper is approaching a copper production rate of 400,000 tonnes per year.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3396/129991_3b1120bae487384f_002full.jpg
Mr. Friedland commented: "Kamoa Copper continues to deliver industry-leading operational
performance with the rapid advancement of Kamoa-Kakula's Phase 1 and Phase 2 concentrator plants,
which now are approaching a production rate of 400,000 tonnes copper per year. We will continue this
track record of excellence as we realize the vast potential across the Kamoa-Kakula Mining Complex,
which will be operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo for generations.
"Kamoa-Kakula is on pace to be the world's third-largest copper mining complex by the end of 2024,
with the Phase 3 expansion expected to boost total copper production to approximately 600,000 tonnes
per annum. We are already among the ranks of the world's major copper producers ... a metal the world
vitally requires for conventional energy and industry, as well as the long-term shift to green energy and
electrification. We are at an inflection point for the copper industry ... one where we must meet
substantial demand growth over the coming decades, even as discovering and building new mines has
become more challenging and more complex.
"The supply-demand landscape for the copper market remains extremely clear despite any short-term
market fluctuations and policy-driven demand destruction. Kamoa-Kakula will be an integral part of the
supply solution, but we will need astronomically higher global copper production to solve the ongoing
energy crisis and complete the vital transition to green energy."
Watch Mr. Friedland's June 2022 exclusive, long-form keynote discussion at the Bank of America's
Commodity Conference:
https://bit.ly/3AnJbrw
The Phase 1 and Phase 2 plants milled 1.95 million ore tonnes during the second quarter at an average
feed grade of 5.44% copper.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3396/129991_3b1120bae487384f_003full.jpg
Figure 1: Monthly Kakula cumulative copper production - total production of approximately 250,000
tonnes copper from May 2021 to June 30, 2022.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3396/129991_3b1120bae487384f_004full.jpg
Construction to increase concentrate thickener capacity is ongoing as part of the Phase 1 and Phase 2
de-bottlenecking program.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3396/129991_3b1120bae487384f_005full.jpg
Kamoa-Kakula reports record quarterly production of 87,314 tonnes copper following
achievement of Phase 2 steady-state operations
In late March 2022, Ivanhoe Mines announced that Kamoa-Kakula's Phase 2 concentrator plant began
hot commissioning significantly ahead of schedule. First ore was introduced into the Phase 2 milling
circuit on March 21, 2022, and first copper concentrate produced approximately four months ahead of
the originally announced development schedule. Commercial production from the Phase 2 concentrator
was declared on April 7, 2022, while steady state production was achieved at the end of May 2022.
Kamoa-Kakula has milled approximately three million tonnes of ore at an average feed grade of 5.74%
copper year-to-date, and produced approximately
143,000 tonnes of copper in concentrate
over the
first half of 2022.
Kamoa Copper's previously announced de-bottlenecking program also is progressing on schedule to
increase the combined design processing capacity of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 concentrator plants to
approximately 9.2 million tonnes per annum.
After successfully operating the Phase 1 concentrator, the Kamoa-Kakula team identified several
relatively minor modifications that are expected to increase ore throughput from the current design of
475 tonnes per hour to approximately 580 tonnes per hour. These modifications include increasing the
diameter of several pipes, replacing a number of motors and pumps with larger ones and installing
additional flotation, concentrate-thickening, concentrate-filtration and tailings-disposal capacity.
Once completed in the second quarter of 2023, the de-bottlenecking program will enable the copper
production from Kamoa-Kakula's first two phases to reach approximately
450,000 tonnes per year,
positioning Kamoa Copper as the world's fourth largest copper producer.
Kamoa-Kakula's Phase 1 and Phase 2 plants are undergoing a de-bottlenecking program to boost
combined ore throughput to 9.2 million tonnes per annum by Q2 2023. Excavation is in progress to
upgrade scavenger cleaner flotation capacity.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3396/129991_3b1120bae487384f_006full.jpg
Kamoa 1 and Kamoa 2 box cut and decline ramp nearing completion, Phase 3 twin decline
excavation progressing well
The Pre-Feasibility Study for the Phase 3 expansion is expected to be announced during the fourth
quarter of this year. Kamoa-Kakula's Phase 3 will consist of two new mines known as Kamoa 1 and
Kamoa 2, as well as the initial decline development at Kakula West. A new, 5-million-tonne-per-annum
concentrator plant will also be established adjacent to the two new mines at Kamoa. The associated
power and surface infrastructure for Phase 3 will be designed to support future expansions.
Construction is nearing completion on the Phase 3 box cut and decline ramp at the Kamoa 1 and
Kamoa 2 mines, while excavation of the twin declines to access Phase 3 mining areas also is advancing
well. Construction works for the ramp, cut-off drains, and water-collection sumps are well advanced.
Basic engineering design for the Phase 3, 5-million-tonne-per-annum concentrator plant is nearing
completion with procurement activities underway. During June, orders were placed for the following long-
lead items: ball mills, concentrate filters, cone crushers and flotation cells. The earthworks contract is
scheduled to be issued imminently.
Upon commencement of Phase 3 production, Kamoa Copper will have a total processing capacity of
greater than 14 million tonnes per annum. Phase 3 is expected to increase copper production capacity
to approximately
600,000 tonnes per year, with commissioning expected by the fourth quarter of
2024.
This production rate will position Kamoa Copper as the world's third-largest copper mining
complex, and the largest copper mining complex on the African continent.
Construction works for the ramp, cut-off drains, and water-collection sumps is well advanced at the
Kamoa 1 and Kamoa 2 box cut.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3396/129991_3b1120bae487384f_007full.jpg
Excavation of twin declines at the Kamoa 1 and Kamoa 2 mines will provide access to the main Phase 3
mining areas.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3396/129991_3b1120bae487384f_008full.jpg
Gracia Maseka, General Worker; Kamin Hortense, Dump Truck Operator; standing at the portal
entrance to the twin Kamoa 1 and 2 declines.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3396/129991_3b1120bae487384f_009full.jpg
Basic engineering complete and initial long-lead equipment ordered for Kamoa Copper's
direct-to-blister flash smelter
Kamoa-Kakula's Phase 3 expansion includes a 500,000-tonne-per-annum, direct-to-blister flash smelter
to produce approximately 99% copper metal, and the replacement of Turbine #5 at the Inga 2
hydroelectric power station. The turbine replacement will supply an additional 178-megwatts of clean
hydroelectric power to the national grid.
Earthworks excavation is progressing well at the smelter site, adjacent to Kamoa-Kakula's Phase 1 and
Phase 2 concentrator plants, with bush clearing and top-soil stripping well advanced.
In June, Kamoa Copper placed purchase orders for the smelter's slag cleaning furnace, anode refining
furnaces and electrostatic precipitators, while basic engineering on the smelter design has been
completed.
The Kamoa-Kakula smelter is designed to use technology supplied by Metso Outotec of Espoo, Finland,
and to meet the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) emissions standards. The smelter has been
sized to process most of the copper concentrate forecast to be produced by Kamoa-Kakula's Phase 1,
Phase 2 and Phase 3 concentrators.
Construction and earthworks at the smelter site, adjacent to Kamoa-Kakula's Phase 1 and Phase 2
concentrator plants.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3396/129991_3b1120bae487384f_010full.jpg
Kamoa-Kakula's smelter (3-D rendering below) uses technology supplied by Metso Outotec, with a
production capacity of 500,000 tonnes per annum of approximately 99%-pure blister copper.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3396/129991_3b1120bae487384f_011full.jpg
In late 2021, Kamoa Copper awarded China Nerin Engineering Co., Ltd. (Nerin) of Jiangxi, China, with
the basic engineering contract for the planned, direct-to-blister flash smelter. Nerin is an international
engineering company with more than 60 years of experience in smelter engineering and construction
projects globally. Nerin actively promotes the advancement of smelting technology through its own
research and development, and by establishing various partnerships with global industry peers, including
Metso Outotec.