DRC remains a complex operating environment – copper mine GM

While the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has made solid pro- gress over the past decade, it remains a complex environment in which to operate, says copper mine Kinsevere GM Miles Naude.

Like other mines operating in the country, the electricity deficit and a lack of infrastructure have proved challenging for Kinsevere, bought by midtier global resources company MMG in 2012.

However, taking a collaborative approach has enabled the mine to stabilise power supply to the operation, he notes.

Kinsevere, in the south of the DRC, near the Zambian border, now uses three power sources, including local grid-sourced power, power imported from neighbouring countries and electricity from an on-site diesel generation facility, which it can efficiently switch between to meet the full power requirements of the mine.

The mine’s ongoing focus on operational excellence has enabled it to use the available power supply more efficiently, Naude says, adding that cost control and productivity are continuous priorities at all MMG sites, regardless of the status of the metal price cycle.

This approach has been attributed to Kinsevere delivering well above nameplate capacity, with minimal capital investment.

Naude enthuses that three years after MMG’s acquisition of the mine, the operation is performing extremely well.

Kinsevere produced 62 076 t of copper cathode – exceeding its nameplate capacity of 60 000 t – in 2013, its first full year of production under MMG . “We now expect to produce between 73 000 t and 78 000 t of copper cathode at Kinsevere during 2015,” he says.

During the September 2015 quarter, Kinsevere produced 20 680 t of copper cathode, representing sustained production of about 130% of nameplate capacity, Naude highlights.

Kinsevere’s copper cathode is sold to an international metals trader under a life-of-mine agreement for sale to global customers, many of which are in the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

“Kinsevere was MMG’s first acquisition and a pivotal step in the Australia-based company’s growth journey. Through Kinsevere, we now have a strong platform in one of the world’s most prospective regions for minerals development,” Naude says.

He tells Mining Weekly that, in addition to its near-mine and regional exploration programme in the DRC, MMG is undertaking targeted exploration of sections of the African Copperbelt that pass through Zambia.

Although MMG has demonstrated its operational capability and ability to operate responsibly and successfully in a complex environment, Kinsevere is not immune to the pressures from the low copper price currently facing the industry and continues to review its operations to identify further opportunities to reduce costs and boost productivity, concludes Naude.