Congo: Ivanhoe Mines launches construction of Africa's largest copper smelter

Ivanhoe Mines, a Canadian mining company operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has reached a major milestone in the development of the Kamoa-Kakula copper mine, the largest in Africa. The company has announced the imminent start of construction of the continent's largest copper smelter on the site, with an annual capacity of 500,000 tonnes of 99.7% purity copper anodes. First production is scheduled for July 2025, marking a significant step forward in the local refining of Congolese mining production.

The Kamoa-Kakula smelter, located in Lualaba province, will be supplied directly with copper concentrate extracted from the eponymous mine, which dominates the African mining landscape on account of its sheer size. With a capacity of 500,000 tonnes a year, the facility aims to process part of the raw production locally, thereby boosting the added value generated in the DRC. This ambitious project is part of Ivanhoe Mines' broader strategy to consolidate its leadership position in the global copper market, a strategic metal in the energy transition.

The smelter's start-up depends on a stable electricity supply, a major challenge in a context where local energy infrastructures remain limited. Ivanhoe Mines has secured an initial capacity of 50 MW, which will be increased to 70 MW in March 2025 thanks to an agreement with the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP). This electricity, imported from Mozambique via an interconnection with Zambia, will cover the smelter's needs, estimated at 45 MW at launch and 70 MW at full capacity. A further increase to 100 MW is planned in the next few days, strengthening the project's energy resilience.

At the same time, the Kamoa-Kakula mine consumes between 130 and 140 MW, bringing the site's total requirements to more than 200 MW. To meet this demand, Ivanhoe combines several sources: an additional 50 MW comes from the Congolese grid, while a back-up diesel capacity of 160 MW is available in the event of a power failure. From the last quarter of 2025, the commissioning of turbine 5 at Inga II will add another 50 MW, with a maximum potential of 178 MW expected in 2026. This diversification guarantees the operational continuity that is essential to the success of the project.

For several months, Ivanhoe Mines had been experiencing difficulties in stabilising its power supply, a recurring obstacle in the industrialisation of mining operations in the DRC. The resolution of this problem is a testament to the company's determination to bring this structuring project to fruition. By refining the copper extracted from Kamoa-Kakula locally, Ivanhoe is reducing its dependence on exports of raw concentrate and positioning the DRC as a key player in the global copper value chain.

The commissioning of the Kamoa-Kakula smelter in July 2025 promises significant economic benefits for the DRC, particularly in terms of jobs and industrial development. The project also illustrates Ivanhoe Mines' ability to combine large-scale mining operations with local processing in a country where natural resources are abundant but often under-exploited from an industrial standpoint.

With this development, Ivanhoe Mines is not only extracting African copper; it is also adding value to it, paving the way for a new era in the Congolese and continental mining industry.