• On May 26, the third concentrator of Zijin’s jointly owned Kamoa-Kakula Copper Mine began operations, six months ahead of schedule.

• Upon reaching full capacity, the DRC-based project’s annual copper production will exceed 600,000 tonnes, positioning it as the world's fourth-largest copper mine.

• Kamoa-Kakula aims to further increase its annual copper output to 800,000 tonnes, potentially becoming one of the world’s largest copper producers.

The newly completed Phase 3 concentrator at Kamoa-Kakula is designed to process 5 million tonnes of ore per annum, which is 30% higher than the combined design capacity of Phase 1 and 2 concentrators. With Phase 3 now in operation, the total design capacity of the project has risen to 14.2 million tonnes per annum.

The new concentrator, located adjacent to the Phase 1 and 2 facilities, benefits from operational synergies in process design, spare parts, and maintenance. The plant is expediting the production of its first batch of copper concentrate and aims to achieve commercial production by the third quarter of the year.

Copper is a critical metal for the global transition to renewable energy and electrification. With favorable market conditions and promising mine development opportunities, Kamoa-Kakula is poised to continue increasing its production capacity. This includes the implementation of its Project 95, which aims to boost copper recovery from the designed 87% to approximately 95% for Phases 1 and 2. Additionally, studies are being conducted for a Phase 4 concentrator, which will have a processing capacity of at least 5 million tonnes per annum. Kamoa-Kakula could ultimately achieve a total processing capacity of more than 20 million tonnes per annum, leading to an annual copper production of 800,000 tonnes.

The rapid construction progress at Kamoa-Kakula is a testament to the fruitful partnership between Chinese and Western companies. Phase 3 construction saw efficient cooperation among Zijin Construction, China ENFI, various other Chinese contractors, suppliers, and service providers, as well as local teams in the DRC, ensuring the project’s completion ahead of schedule and within budget.

As one of the flagship copper projects in the world, Kamoa-Kakula is committed to growing together with the DRC and local communities. In 2023, the project contributed approximately 6% of the DRC’s GDP. Moreover, more than 97% of its employees are DRC nationals. The newly commissioned concentrator plant is expected to deliver greater value to the surrounding communities and other stakeholders.

Translator: Jian     Reviser: Li Yuanxing   Editor-in-Chief: Wang Jie

Sobre Zijin Mining
Zijin Mining es una empresa líder mundial en el sector de metales y minería, y uno de los mayores productores globales de oro, cobre y zinc. Con más de 30 operaciones y proyectos mineros de gran escala distribuidos en 19 países y 5 continentes, la compañía aprovecha sus sólidas capacidades internas de investigación, ingeniería y desarrollo para mantener una alta eficiencia operacional y bajos costos, tanto en adquisiciones como en operaciones. Este enfoque le ha permitido consolidarse como referente en la creación de valor, respaldado por su filosofía de desarrollo compartido y sustentado por un desempeño superior en materia ambiental, social y de gobierno corporativo. Las acciones de Zijin cotizan en la Bolsa de Hong Kong (HKEX: 2899) y en la Bolsa de Shanghai (SSE: 601899).