The Kamoa-Kakula copper mine, operated by Canada's Ivanhoe Mines, continues to ramp up production. After producing 437,061 tonnes in 2024, the mining complex expects to deliver between 520,000 and 580,000 tonnes in 2025, according to forecasts announced on 20 March 2025. This growth is part of an ambitious strategy aimed at achieving an annual target of 600,000 tonnes, supported by Project 95, which will optimise recovery rates.
Launched to improve the performance of concentrators 1 and 2, Project 95 aims to increase the copper recovery rate from 87% to 95%. Scheduled for completion in early 2026, this initiative is expected to generate an additional 30,000 tonnes of copper per year. With the commissioning of the Phase 3 concentrator in the third quarter of 2024, Kamoa-Kakula now has an installed capacity of 600,000 tonnes, consolidating its position as Africa's largest copper mine.
Since coming on stream in 2021, Kamoa-Kakula has enjoyed sustained growth, strengthening the DRC's position as the world's second-largest copper producer since 2023. In 2024, the Congolese state, a 20% shareholder via a joint venture with Ivanhoe Mines (39.6%), Zijin Mining (39.6%) and Crystal River Global Limited (0.8%), received USD 155.4 million in attributable profits, USD 307.1 million in royalties and taxes, and USD 345 million in income tax. These revenues reflect the major economic impact of the project.
Forecasts for 2025 of between 520,000 and 580,000 tonnes mark a new stage in Kamoa-Kakula's ascent. This increase, combined with the optimisation planned by Project 95, positions the mine to reach its target of 600,000 tonnes per year as early as 2026. Such a performance would consolidate not only the complex's regional leadership, but also the DRC's contribution to the global supply of copper, a key metal for the energy transition.
The joint venture behind Kamoa-Kakula illustrates a model of successful collaboration between foreign investors and the Congolese state. By maximizing recovery and production, Ivanhoe Mines is not only increasing its returns, it is also strengthening the economic benefits for the DRC, in a sector that is strategic to the country's development.
With these advances, Kamoa-Kakula is establishing itself as a key player, ready to meet the growing demand for copper while supporting the DRC's economic ambitions.