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DRC

KOV Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Cobalt
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Glencore is accelerating next block, KOV 5A, into production along with a focus on enhancing shovel and truck fleet performance and capacities.
Related AssetKatanga (Kamoto-Mashamba East) Complex

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Glencore plc. 75 % Indirect
Glencore owns 75% of Katanga. La Generale des Carrieres et des Mines and La Société Immobilière du Congo, which are state-owned mining companies in the DRC, own the remaining 25%.

Deposit type

  • Sediment-hosted
  • Breccia pipe / Stockwork

Summary:

The copper-cobalt minerals hosted in rocks of the Neoproterozoic Katangan Basin in the Central African copper belt metallogenic province of the DRC are a classic example of (low energy) sediment-hosted stratiform copper (SSC) ore system deposits. These deposits are economically significant, as they account for approximately 25% of the world’s copper production and known Mineral Reserves being second only to porphyry copper deposits in terms of copper production and the most important global cobalt resource.

The copper-cobalt deposits contained in a sedimentary series of rocks are known as the Mines Group in the Katanga sequence and the Roan Group in Zambia. The sediments are shallow-water shales, dolomitic shales, reefal dolomites and possible evaporitic lagoonal mudstones, formed on a platform marginal to a subsiding basin. The rocks are exposed in a series of tightly folded and thrusted anticlines and synclines, which generally trend east-west or southeast and are often overturned to the north. In spite of this deformation overprint, the mineralized zones, although sometimes lenticular along strike and down dip, as well as showing local diapiric forms, display remarkable large-scale continuity within the Mines Group.

The KOV OP deposit can be sub-divided into five main fragments within the KCC concession. These fragments can be classified as rafts of the Lower Roan lithologies which are separated by faults and/or RAT Lilas waste intrusions. The KOV fragments as follows:
KTE: Can be divided into three sub-fragments; KTEA forms a broad syncline dipping at approximately 40° north, KTEB lies below KTEA and dips approximately 30° north, whilst KTEC lies to the east of the KTEB and is sub-vertical.
Oliveira: A broad open syncline with the northern limb dipping 5° to the southwest and the southern limb dipping 25° to the northwest.
Virgule: A rectangular fragment which is faulted in the west, appearing as a ‘trouser leg” shape. It is dipping 20° to the southwest.
Variante: Forms a rough L-shape plane, with the eastern portion steeply dipping 70° to the north, shallow dipping 20° to the west.
FNSR: An over turned fragment, rectangular fragment which is dipping 25° to the southwest.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

Combined production numbers are reported under Katanga (Kamoto-Mashamba East) Complex

Operational metrics

Metrics20192018201720162015
Ore tonnes mined 5,643,001 t6,479,571 t433,169 t825 t4,546,585 t
Waste 33,982,397 t29,757,641 t31,571,164 t7,486,536 t34,723,636 t
Total tonnes mined 39,625,398 t36,237,212 t32,004,333 t7,487,361 t39,270,221 t

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 2, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 2, 2024
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Aerial view:

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