Kamoto Mine
Encyclopedia
The Kamoto Mine is an underground copper and cobalt mine to the west of Musonoi in Katanga Province
, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The exploitation rights are owned by the Kamoto Copper Company (KCC), a joint venture between Katanga Mining
(75%) and the state-owned Gecamines
(25%).
Gecamines began operations in the Kamoto underground mine in 1969.
The mine produced three million tonnes of ore annually in the 1980s.
Before being closed in October 1990 it had produced 59.3 million tonnes of ore, with an grade of 4.21% copper and 0.37% cobalt.
In November 2006 a feasibility study confirmed that the mine could be reopened at relatively low cost given its capacity.
The required work included purchase of a new trackless equipment fleet, upgrades to pumping and ventilation equipment and some maintenance of the other infrastructure. The plan was to use a combination of the traditional room-and-pillar system and the more modern and effective longhole retreat stoping technique. The concentrator and Luilu metallurgical plant would be progressively upgraded as increasing amounts of ore became available.
Katanga Province
Katanga Province is one of the provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Between 1971 and 1997, its official name was Shaba Province. Under the new constitution, the province was to be replaced by four smaller provinces by February 2009; this did not actually take place.Katanga's regional...
, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The exploitation rights are owned by the Kamoto Copper Company (KCC), a joint venture between Katanga Mining
Katanga Mining
Katanga Mining is a mining company in the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , majority-owned by Swiss commodity trader Glencore.-DCC:...
(75%) and the state-owned Gecamines
Gécamines
Gécamines, or La Générale des Carrières et des Mines, is a state-owned mining company in the Democratic Republic of Congo . Its principal products are copper , cobalt and zinc...
(25%).
Gecamines began operations in the Kamoto underground mine in 1969.
The mine produced three million tonnes of ore annually in the 1980s.
Before being closed in October 1990 it had produced 59.3 million tonnes of ore, with an grade of 4.21% copper and 0.37% cobalt.
In November 2006 a feasibility study confirmed that the mine could be reopened at relatively low cost given its capacity.
The required work included purchase of a new trackless equipment fleet, upgrades to pumping and ventilation equipment and some maintenance of the other infrastructure. The plan was to use a combination of the traditional room-and-pillar system and the more modern and effective longhole retreat stoping technique. The concentrator and Luilu metallurgical plant would be progressively upgraded as increasing amounts of ore became available.