IVANHOE Mines reported record quarterly zinc production and robust copper output from its Democratic Republic of Congo operations, maintaining momentum despite earlier disruptions.
Citing a company announcement on Tuesday, Reuters said that the Vancouver-based miner extracted 71,226 tons of copper and a record 57,200 tons of zinc during the third quarter from its Kamoa-Kakula and Kipushi mines.
Copper production remains aligned with full-year guidance of 370,000 to 420,000 tons as operations transition to higher-grade zones in Kakula’s western section, the newswire said.
Zinc output at Kipushi jumped 37% quarter-on-quarter following initiatives to eliminate processing constraints and increase throughput, establishing the facility amongst the world’s leading zinc producers.
The results follow significant challenges earlier this year when seismic activity at Kakula disrupted underground operations and reduced copper grades. Ivanhoe has since intensified recovery efforts, securing $500m from Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund to expand production and position Kamoa-Kakula as a premier global copper source.
The company confirmed its discussions with sovereign wealth funds regarding potential investments in copper and critical mineral production, as reported in September.
In early November, Ivanhoe commissioned Africa’s largest copper smelter, supported by a 60MW uninterruptible power system and 60MW diesel backup capacity. The facility will process concentrate from Kamoa-Kakula’s three concentrators whilst generating up to 700,000 tons of sulphuric acid annually, a crucial reagent for copperbelt operations.
Ivanhoe maintained its 2025 zinc production guidance of 180,000 to 240,000 tons at Kipushi, signalling confidence in sustained output levels despite previous operational headwinds, said Reuters.
