At a Glance
- Ivanhoe Mines begins heat-up at Africa’s largest green copper smelter in DRC.
- Kamoa-Kakula copper smelter targets first concentrate feed before year-end ramp-up.
- The project strengthens Africa’s clean-energy copper supply with advanced 500,000-tonne smelting capacity.
Ivanhoe Mines has begun heating up its 500,000-tonne-per-year direct-to-blister copper smelter at the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The heat-up started on Nov. 21 following a traditional blessing led by Chief Musokantanda Sabuni Kafweku, who represents local communities across the Kamoa-Kakula region.
Co-Chairman Robert Friedland and President and Chief Executive Officer Marna Cloete joined community leaders and workers at the ceremony.
The event included the preparation of a lwanzo lwa mikuba, a traditional copper furnace, where commemorative Katanga Crosses were smelted before the flame was carried to the new smelter.
Friedland said the day marked “a meaningful chapter” for the project and for mining in the region, adding that the step toward full operation “reflects years of work and a shared commitment to producing cleaner copper.”
Kamoa-Kakula Managing Director Annebel Oosthuizen praised employees for building the facility. “This day belongs to every Kamoa Copper employee,” she said. “You made this possible, and the work we started today will shape the future of our community and our country.”
Torch lighting marks start of heat-up
After the blessing, Chief Musokantanda carried the flame to the smelter and handed it to Friedland, who lit a ceremonial torch.
Senior members of Ivanhoe Mines and Kamoa Copper then passed the torch before placing it inside the furnace, igniting the start of heat-up.
The furnace has already reached 800 degrees centigrade. The temperature will be held for several days while commissioning work continues on the boiler, steam systems and concentrate dryer. Crews will also power up the furnace electrodes and bring the acid circuit online.
First concentrate feed expected by year-end
Management expects the first feed of concentrate before year-end. The smelter will prioritize material from the Phase 1, 2 and 3 concentrators, with any extra volumes to be toll-treated at the nearby Lualaba Copper Smelter in Kolwezi.
Ahead of start-up, Kamoa-Kakula held about 37,000 tonnes of contained copper in concentrate. As the smelter ramps up through 2026, unsold concentrate is expected to fall to roughly 17,000 tonnes.
The project is supported by a nearly complete 60-megawatt uninterruptible power supply system, designed to protect the facility from grid fluctuations. The site also has about 180 MW of diesel back-up power.
About Ivanhoe Mines
The Canadian company operates the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex and the high-grade Kipushi mine in the DRC, and the Platreef mine in South Africa.
Ivanhoe is also advancing exploration across the Western Forelands and in emerging copper regions including Angola, Kazakhstan and Zambia.
