The Construction continues to progress on schedule for what is expected to be Africa’s largest direct-to-blister flash smelter, located at the Kamoa-Kakula copper complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The $500 million smelter, being built adjacent to the existing Phase 1 and Phase 2 concentrator plants, is 56% complete as of August and on target to begin commissioning in the fourth quarter of 2024. The smelter will have an annual capacity of 500,000 metric tons of 99% pure blister copper anodes.
Over 2,000 construction workers are currently on site, with the number expected to peak at 3,000 in December. Approximately 726 truckloads of steel and equipment, out of an estimated 5,400 total, have been delivered so far. Mechanical assembly is underway on key components like the flash furnace, slag furnace, and gas cleaning systems.
The smelter is incorporating modern technology from Metso Outotec and will meet emissions standards set by the International Finance Corporation. By smelting ore on-site into nearly pure copper, it is projected to significantly reduce the Kamoa-Kakula complex’s logistics costs and carbon footprint.
The additional 178 megawatts of clean, renewable hydropower being developed to support the smelter will also help minimize environmental impacts. Overall, the smelter is central to Kamoa-Kakula’s Phase 3 expansion for streamlining operations and increasing copper production.
