RE:RE:RE:RE:Some Funny info from the DRChttps://www.metalbulletin.com/Article/3950343/Ivanhoe-to-build-DRCs-second-copper-smelter-amid-government-push-for-local-processing.html
Ivanhoe Mines is considering construction of a new copper smelter to treat Kamoa Kakula copper concentrates following the recent push by the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to facilitate local processing of copper ore.
Ivanhoe - the developer of Kamoa Kakula, which is expected to be the world’s second-largest copper mine upon expansion - announced the updated development plan on its website on September 8.
The plan includes building a primary copper smelter with capacity to treat 1 million tonnes per year of copper concentrates, the company said. This roughly translates to 250,000 tpy of refined copper production. Construction of the new smelter will be complete by the fifth year of operation, which will start in 2021.
There is currently only one primary copper smelter in the DRC - Africa’s largest copper producer - which is China Nonferrous Mining Corp’s 120,000-tpy Lualaba smelter.
Since 2013, the DRC has tried to increase domestic refined metal output with restrictions on exports of copper concentrate to capture a greater portion of the mining value chain.
Ivanhoe’s plan to add a copper smelter in Kamoa Kakula comes after copper miners were told last month they could not renew their waivers to export copper concentrate from September onward, if they do not show the government their long-term commitment to process copper ore domestically.
“You cannot reach an agreement with the DRC government to build a mine this size without a ‘plan’ for a smelter.