Kamoa Copper achieves upper end of production guidance in 2022

On 27 December 2022, a total of 27 424 t of dry ore were milled through the Phase 1 and 2 concentrators – a daily record for both facilities. This is equivalent to a milling rate of 9.1 million tpy (after accounting for availability). In line with the upper end of Kamoa Copper’s production guidance, 338 087 t of contained copper were floated in 2022. This includes the contained copper still in the circuit that was floated, but that has not yet been filtered to produce a final concentrate. Copper flotation recoveries from the Phase 1 and 2 concentrators averaged 86% during the year.

The floated copper is temporarily stored as a slurry in a fully-lined pond, which will be reclaimed into the concentrate thickener and filter press once the fourth Larox filter press is installed as part of the debottlenecking programme. The debottlenecking programme is now over 90% complete and progressing ahead of schedule, with cold commissioning targeted in April. Copper production for 2023 is targeted at between 390 000 and 430 000 t of copper in concentrate, following the anticipated completion of the debottlenecking programme early in the 2Q23.

The programme will increase the combined processing capacity of Phase 1 and Phase 2 concentrator plants to approximately 9.2 million tpy and increase the rate of annualised production to 450 000 t of copper in concentrate once completed.

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/12012023/kamoa-copper-achieves-upper-end-of-production-guidance-in-2022/