This marks another new monthly record and brings total underground development to more than 24.7 kilometres - approximately 7.9 kilometres ahead of schedule.
The enormous amount of pre-production development completed to date at both the Kakula and Kansoko mines has positioned the project for a significant acceleration in the tonnage, as well as a marked increase in the grade, of ore added to the project's surface stockpiles beginning this month.
The monthly total of 2,172 metres of underground development in October was comprised of 1,809 metres at the
At Kakula, both main access tunnels (drives) being advanced from the southern decline, and the spiral access drive being advanced from the northern decline, have recently accessed the high-grade zone near the centre of the deposit grading approximately +8% copper.
Kakula's main access drives between the northern and southern declines have less than 100 metres remaining before they are connected (holed) in the high-grade centre of the deposit. The holing will significantly increase ventilation to the centre of the orebody, allowing for additional mining crews to begin highly-productive mining operations in Kakula's high-grade ore zones.
'The imminent joining of Kakula's northern and southern main access drives will be a major milestone in the mine's development. Once this is achieved, the opening up and ledging of the drift-and-fill blocks can commence in the high-grade core of the deposit, where the average grade is projected to exceed 8% copper,'
In addition to advancing the main connecting access drives, underground mining crews at Kakula are focused on preparation work for developing the high grade, drift-and-fill mining blocks in the centre of the orebody. Opening up of the mining footprint for these high grade, drift-and-fill mining areas entails development work in areas of low-, medium- and high-grade ore, and is designed to coincide with the start-up of the processing plant next year. This will allow mining crews to deliver significant tonnage of high-grade ore directly from Kakula's underground workings to the processing plant.
Kakula's second underground ore bin (the west tip bin) is undergoing commissioning. Installation of Kakula's ventilation shaft #2 also is progressing well, with the first of three high-capacity surface fans installed by the contractor.
The gabion wall for the surface bulk reclaim tip system that is located near Kakula's main northern decline has been constructed and preparation has started for the civil works required at the top of the wall. The bulk reclaim tip system will be used to feed ore from Kakula's surface stockpiles (and ore from the
Underground development at the
Kansoko is being developed by training crews and will be a supplemental source of ore for Phase 2 of the project's development when the Kakula concentrator processing capacity doubles to 7.6 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) currently planned to be commissioned in Q2 2022.
Phase 1 copper production from the
A recent, independent audit of Kamoa-Kakula's greenhouse gas intensity metrics performed by
Construction of the gabion wall for the bulk reclaim tip system near Kakula's main northern declines.
October's ore production 48% higher than September; pre-production surface ore stockpiles now total approximately one million tonnes
In October, mining crews at the Kakula and Kansoko mines mined and transported to surface approximately 194,000 tonnes of ore grading 4.01% copper. This brings the project's total pre-production high- and medium-grade ore stockpiles to approximately 1,000,000 tonnes at an estimated grade of 3.47% copper. An additional 622,000 tonnes of low-grade development ore also has been stockpiled on surface.
October's ore production is approximately 48% higher than the 132,000 tonnes grading 3.31% copper mined in September, and approximately 78% higher than the 109,000 tonnes grading 2.96% copper mined in August. The project is positioned for a significant acceleration in the tonnage, as well as a marked increase in the grade, of ore added to the surface stockpiles as more mining crews soon will begin working in the higher-grade areas of the Kakula and Kansoko mines.
Chart 1: Cumulative tonnes and grade of pre-production ore stockpiles at the Kakula and Kansoko mines from
The ore being mined from the northern portion of the
Additional, pre-production ore stockpiles are located at the Kakula southern decline (approximately 67,000 tonnes of high-grade ore grading 5.05% copper, and 171,000 tonnes of medium-grade ore grading 2.62% copper) and the Kansoko decline (approximately 120,000 tonnes grading 2.53% copper).
Kakula's main pre-production stockpiles at the northern declines. The blended stockpiles currently contain approximately 639,000 tonnes grading 3.71% copper.
Construction of the initial 3.8-Mtpa concentrator plant and other surface infrastructure rapidly progressing; orders for long-lead-time items placed for the second 3.8-Mtpa concentrator plant
Overall progress of Kamoa-Kakula's first-phase, 3.8 Mtpa mining and milling operation (covering mine infrastructure, concentrator plant and surface infrastructure) now is approximately 58% complete, up from 52% last month.
Construction of the project's first-phase 3.8 Mtpa concentrator plant is advancing rapidly and now is approximately 28% complete. The concentrator plant is expected to be mechanically complete in Q2 2021, with first copper concentrate production scheduled for
View a short, fly-over video filmed on
Civil works for the initial concentrator plant are nearing completion, with approximately 26,000 cubic metres of concrete poured to date. All major construction areas will be handed over to the steel, mechanical, piping and platework (SMPP) contractor imminently.
The final major pieces of equipment two 80-MVA/220kV electrical transformers are in transit and expected on site shortly. Construction of the various electrical substations is progressing well.
Structural steel and platework fabrication for the concentrator plant is complete, with the bulk of the material already delivered to site. Piping is progressing according to schedule, with more than 60 kilometres (of a total of 83 kilometres) of piping already delivered. Limited electrical, controls and instrumentation (EC&I) work has started with the installation of cable racking.
Over 2,000 tonnes of steel (of a total of 5,700 tonnes) has been installed. The main focus areas are the conveyor gantries, mill building, reagent storage area, flotation area, and concentrate storage building. Construction has commenced for the plant stores, workshop and water services.
View a short, time-lapse video showing the installation of a girth gear on one of the two ball mills: https://vimeo.com/467851443
Construction of the tailings dam is progressing well, with the aim to complete most of the earthworks before the rainy season begins later this month. Installation is well advanced for the three tailings lines and the tailings return water line.
The long-lead items for the second 3.8 Mtpa concentrator plant have been ordered and the second phase of the project's development is officially underway. Requests for tenders for the second-phase earthworks and civil works also have been issued.
Franck Butshumi connecting sections of pipe at Kakula's tailings pipeline.
Kakula's first phase, backfill paste plant under construction in the foreground, with the initial 3.8 Mtpa concentrator plant in the background. The backfill plant will be used to blend tailings from the processing plant with cement to produce paste backfill to be pumped back into the mine and used to help support mined-out areas. Approximately one half of the mine's tailings will be sent back underground, significantly reducing the surface tailings storage. A 3D illustration of the finished backfill plant is below.
Discussions underway for the marketing of Kakula's copper concentrates
Kamoa-Kakula is in detailed discussions with a number of parties with respect to the marketing and smelting of its copper concentrates. Kakula is expected to produce an extremely high grade and clean copper concentrate (containing over 55% copper) that will be highly coveted by copper smelters around the world. Metallurgical test work indicates that the Kakula concentrates contain extremely low arsenic levels by world standards - approximately 0.01%.
Kamoa-Kakula expected to be connected to the national power grid in December, providing clean, renewable 220-kV hydropower
In
The upgrading work at the 72-megawatt Mwadingusha hydropower plant is nearing completion and electricity from all of Mwadingusha's six turbines is expected to be integrated into the national power grid in the first quarter of 2021. The work is being conducted by engineering firm Stucky, of Lausanne,
Contract workers putting the finishing touches on a transmission tower for the 220kV powerline that will transmit hydro-generated electricity from theWestern Dispatch substation in Kolwezi to the
Kamoa-Kakula's COVID-19 prevention initiatives focused on risk mitigation
In accordance with health guidelines from the DRC government, and in line with the country's lifting of restrictions, Kamoa-Kakula's Congolese workforce has gone back to normal work rotations. Rigorous testing, physical distancing, wearing face masks, frequent hand washing and contact-tracing measures are still in place to protect the safety and health of the workforce and community members. All expatriate employees are still required to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival at Kamoa-Kakula.
The project has established a COVID-19 isolation facility at the Kamoa camp. Potential symptomatic patients are moved to this facility, where they will be isolated, tested and treated. Once patients have recovered and are deemed no longer infectious, they can return to work only after an additional quarantine period determined by the project's medical staff.
As the pandemic evolves, the medical team at Kamoa-Kakula continues to review and update its risk mitigation protocols. The project's preventative measures are at the highest international standards and, if there was a case internally, the risk of spreading or cross-contamination is considered to be very low.
About
The stockpile grade estimates contained in this release are based upon bulk ore sampling from earlier underground headings, and vertical channel sample profiles from recent development. Bulk ore sampling was done on each heading every second blast and three 5-kilogram samples were taken. Since the beginning of
Ivanhoe has prepared an independent, NI 43-101-compliant technical report for the
Kamoa-Kakula Integrated Development Plan 2020 dated
The technical report includes relevant information regarding the assumptions, parameters and methods of the mineral resource estimates on the
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Forward-looking statements
Certain statements in this release constitute 'forward-looking statements' or 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as 'may', 'would', 'could', 'will', 'intend', 'expect', 'believe', 'plan', 'anticipate', 'estimate', 'scheduled', 'forecast', 'predict' and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results 'may', 'could', 'would', 'might' or 'will' be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the company's current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this release.
Such statements include without limitation, the timing and results of: (i) statements regarding the northern and southern access drives at Kakula are expected to be joined in the next two weeks; (ii) statements regarding as Kakula's underground development progresses over the next few months, the majority of the working areas are expected to transition into the higher-grade ore zones near the centre of the deposit that have copper grades of approximately up to 8%; (iii) statements regarding initial production at the
As well, all of the results of the pre-feasibility study for the Kakula copper mine and the updated and expanded
Forward-looking statements and information involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indicators of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements or information, including, but not limited to, the factors discussed below and under 'Risk Factors', and elsewhere in this release, as well as unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of parties to contracts with the company to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices and the failure of exploration programs or studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued exploration, studies, development or operations.
Although the forward-looking statements contained in this release are based upon what management of the company believes are reasonable assumptions, the company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this release.
The company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of the factors set forth below in the 'Risk Factors' section in the company's Q2 2020 MD&A and its current annual information form.
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