• Kamoa-Kakula, DRC's largest copper mine, boosts production by 31% to 245,127 tonnes in H1 2025, despite a temporary halt in operations in May.

• Despite the surge, the annual production is still projected to decline.

The Democratic Republic of Congo's largest copper mine, Kamoa-Kakula, recorded an increase in processing capacity following the commissioning of a new concentrator in August 2024. However, despite this, annual production is forecasted to decline this year due to a temporary stoppage of operations in May.

During the first half of 2025, Kamoa-Kakula produced 245,127 tonnes of copper concentrate. The facility’s operator, Ivanhoe Mines, disclosed the figure on July 8. Over the same period last year, the complex produced 186,929 tonnes or 31% less.

In Q1 2025, Kamo-Kakula had delivered 133,120 tonnes, up 58% from 86,117 tonnes in Q1 2024. Similar growth was seen in the second quarter, with 112,009 tonnes produced — up 11% from 100,812 tonnes in Q2 2024.

This sustained increase comes nearly a year after the commissioning of the mine's Phase 3 concentrator in August 2024. At full capacity, the concentrator should raise Kamoa-Kakula's annual production to 600,000 tonnes. Between April and June 2025, together with Phase 1 and 2 concentrators, the phase 3 concentrator enabled Ivanhoe to grind a total of 3.62 million tonnes of ore at the site — a 57% increase compared to Q2 2024.

Despite the contribution of the Phase 3 concentrator, however, the complex's copper production is anticipated to decline for the entire 2025 fiscal year. Due to seismic activity, which prompted a suspension at the Kakula underground mine from May to early June, Ivanhoe has revised its production forecast to between 370,000-420,000 tonnes instead of 520,000-580,000 tonnes initially expected. Last year, the mine produced a total of 437,061 tonnes of copper concentrate.

Kamoa-Kakula is 20% owned by the Congolese state, with Ivanhoe and its Chinese partner Zijin Mining each holding 39.6% of the project's capital.

This article was initially published in French by Aurel Sèdjro Houenou

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho