• Ivanhoe’s Kamoa-Kakula smelter to begin operations in September, with output starting in October

• Facility to process 500,000 tons of concentrate annually, with 80% of output pre-sold

• Power supply secured ahead of launch, despite drop in 2025 copper production forecast

Ivanhoe Mines plans to begin operations at the new copper smelter at the Kamoa-Kakula complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo by September 2025. The first anode production is expected to follow in October, the Canadian company announced on June 11.

Under construction since 2021, the smelter will have an annual processing capacity of 500,000 tons of copper concentrate, making it the largest facility of its kind in Africa. It will produce blister copper with a purity of about 99%, a key intermediate for anode manufacturing. Initial operations will start at 50% capacity, processing around 250,000 tons per year.

The project allows Ivanhoe Mines to move further down the copper value chain, capturing more added value from its production at Kamoa-Kakula. The company has already signed trading agreements to sell 80% of the smelter’s output to Chinese firms Zijin Mining and CITIC Metal over a three-year period.

In preparation for the launch, Ivanhoe has secured additional power for the site. Earlier this year, it arranged to raise the hydroelectric supply to 100 MW. Combined with 50 MW from the national grid, the site now has 150 MW of electricity. This figure is expected to rise further in October with the commissioning of turbine No.5 at the Inga II Dam, which will add another 178 MW.

The smelter’s debut comes at a time of lower-than-expected copper output at Kamoa-Kakula. Following a recent seismic event at the Kakula underground mine, Ivanhoe has revised its 2025 forecast to between 370,000 and 420,000 tons of copper, down from the previous estimate of 520,000 to 580,000 tons.