Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit / Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Cut & Fill
- Sub-level caving
- Room-and-pillar
- Hydraulic backfill
|
Processing |
- Sulfuric acid (reagent)
- Flotation
- Counter current decantation (CCD)
- Acid tank leaching
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
- Roasting
|
Mine Life | 2039 |
Latest News | Katanga Mining Completes Amalgamation Transaction June 3, 2020 |
Source:
On June 4, 2020, Katanga Mining Limited (TSX:KAT) became a 100% Glencore group owned company and ceased to be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. On June 22nd, 2020, following Ontario Securities Commission’s order, the Company ceased to be a reporting issuer.
Deposit Type
- Breccia pipe / Stockwork
- Sediment-hosted
Summary:
The mineralized zones are at the western end of the Katangan copper belt.
These deposits are hosted mainly by metasedimentary rocks of the late Proterozoic Katangan system, a 7km thick succession of sediments with minor volcanics, volcanoclastics and intrusive rocks.
Primary mineralisation, in the form of sulphides, within the Lower Roan is associated with the Dolomies Stratified (DSTRAT) and Roches Siliceuses Feuilletées Foliated (Laminated) and Silicified Rocks (RFS) for the Ore-body Inferior (OBI) and the Schistes De Base or Basal Schists and Shales Dolomitiques Superieurs (SDB) or Upper Dolomitic Shales for the Ore-body Superior (OBS) and is thought to be syn-sedimentary in origin. Typical primary copper sulphide minerals are bornite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite and occasional native copper while cobalt is in the form of carrolite. The mineralization occurs as disseminations or in association with hydrothermal carbonate alteration and silicification.
These deposits are hosted mainly by metasedimentary rocks of the Late Proterozoic Katangan System, a 7km thick succession of sediments with minor volcanics, volcanoclastics and intrusives. Geochronological data indicate an age of deposition of the Katangan sediments of ~880 Ma and deformation during the Katangan Orogeny at <650 Ma. This deformation led to the formation of the northwest-southeast trending Lufilian Arc, which extends from Namibia on the west coast of Africa through to Zambia, lying to the south of the DRC. Within the DRC, the zone extends for more than 300 km from Kolwezi in the northwest to Lubumbashi in the southeast.
Stratigraphically, the rich copper and cobalt deposits found in Zambia and the DRC occur localised in the Roan Supergroup (Roan). The Roan occurs at the base of the Katanga succession, overlying the basement rock of Kibaran age (Mid-Proterozic). The Roan is separated from the overlying rocks of the Kundelungu and the Nguba Groups by a conglomerate, the Grand Conglomerat. The Nguba is composed of sandstones and shales with a basal conglomerate while the Kundelungu consists essentially of sediments and is separated from the Nguba by a conglomerate, the Petit Conglomerat.
Within the Lufilian Arc are large scale east west to northwest-southeast trending folds with wavelengths extending for kilometres. The folds are faulted along the crests of the anticlines through which rocks of the Roan Group have been diapirically injected into the fault zones, squeezed up fault planes and over thrust to lie above rocks of the younger Kundelungu. The overthrusted Roan lithologies occur as segments or fragments on surface which are intact units preserving the original geological succession within each of the fragments. A fragment could be of hundreds of metres aligned across the fault plane.
With the exception of Tilwezembe Mine, all of the mineralized properties of KCC are localized within the Kolwezi Nappe, a northeast striking synclinal basin with major and minor axes of approximately 20 km and 10 km respectively. Tilwezembe Mine is located about 20 km to the east of Kolwezi. Figure 4 shows the location of the deposits.
Within the Kolwezi Nappe, each of the project areas, T17 Mine, KTO, KOV Mine and Mashamba East Mine contain fragments with intact successions of Series Des Mines lithologies, which host the copper and cobalt mineralization. The fragments are often structurally complex, being tightly folded and exhibiting variable strikes and dips both within individual rafts and between neighbouring rafts.
The mineralized zone of Tilwezembe is located in a northeast-southwest anticlinal structural lineament, which extends further to the east where known copper and cobalt deposits (Kisanfu, Myunga, Kalumbwe and Deziwa). Strongly brecciated siliceous dolomites and shales of the Mwashya Formation (or R4) dominate with interstitial bands of haematite and oolites. The strata strike almost east-west and dips at about 45° to the south.
Mining Methods
- Truck & Shovel / Loader
- Cut & Fill
- Sub-level caving
- Room-and-pillar
- Hydraulic backfill
Summary:
KOV OP comprises the five orebodies namely, Kamoto-East, Oliveira and Virgule (hence the name KOV), Variante and FNSR.
KOV OP is an existing, large-scale operation. Mining related modifying factors applied to the KOV OP mine plan include a cut-off grade of 0.65% TCu and mining dilution of 8%. KOV OP is scheduled up to the year 2030 in Mineral Reserve LOM plan at a strip ratio of ten and three quarters on a tonne on tonne basis. Ore production is primarily oxide and mixed material with only 8% sulphide ore. The Probable Mineral Reserve estimate of 55.9 Mt at 4.23%TCu is based on the Mineral Reserve LOM plan up to 2030.
UG operations at KTO are accessed by twin declines, two primary shafts and three secondary shafts. Primary access is through the declines and ore handling is through the primary shafts from which crushed ore is transferred directly onto a conveyor to the KTC.
UG production, which began in 1969, used a variety of large-scale techniques including cut and fill, roomand-pillar and sub-level caving.
The LOM Mineral Reserve estimate for the KOV and Mashamba East OPs are based on conventional load and haul OP operations which were informed by LOM plans created from first principles.
The current T-17 open pit is virtually depleted. The T-17 open pit extension that extends the pit laterally has been approved. Some civil and engineering work is required to enable the extension.
The mining methods to be employed at T-17 Underground are Transverse and Longitudinal CAF mining. The Transverse CAF mining method consists of the main access drive longitudinally developed to the ore body. From the main access drive, stope drives are developed perpendicular to the main access drive. The stope drives are widened to create stopes, leaving a pillar between adjacent stopes.
Tilwezembe Open Pit (Kananga) The cobalt-rich Tilwezembe open pit operation is located 30 kilometers southeast of Kolwezi.
The procedures adopted during the sampling of the cores from Kananga and Tilwezembe are similar.
Processing
- Sulfuric acid (reagent)
- Flotation
- Counter current decantation (CCD)
- Acid tank leaching
- Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
- Roasting
Flow Sheet:
Summary:
KTC currently comprises the following operations. Ore crushing and milling
- Oxide ore crushing and milling section treating mixed ore; and
- Sulphide ore crushing and milling section treating sulphide ore Flotation
- Oxide ore flotation treating mixed ore; and
- Sulphide ore flotation treating sulphide ore
Concentrate handling The Luilu Plant currently comprises the following operations:
- Concentrate Receiving;
- Roasting;
- Leaching;
- Copper circuit;
- Cobalt circuit;
- Solvent extraction;
Mixed ore from the KOV OP is transported by truck and stockpiled near the oxide crushing area. It is blended before being crushed by jaw crushers and conveyed to stockpiles in the milling section.
Milled mixed ore is processed in the flotation circuit to produce a final sulphide concentrate, a final oxide concentrate, and a tailings stream. This is achieved by first treating the milled mixed ore in a roughing st ........

Recoveries & Grades:
Commodity | Parameter | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Copper
|
Head Grade, %
| 2.95 | 2.15 | 2.18 |
Copper
|
Concentrate Grade, %
| ......  | ......  | ......  |
Cobalt
|
Head Grade, %
| 0.43 | 0.43 | |
Cobalt
|
Concentrate Grade, %
| ......  | ......  | |
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Reserves at December 31, 2019:
Category | OreType | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade |
Proven & Probable
|
Total
|
124 Mt
|
Copper
|
3.2 %
|
Proven & Probable
|
Total
|
124 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.53 %
|
Measured & Indicated
|
Total
|
265 Mt
|
Copper
|
3.68 %
|
Measured & Indicated
|
Total
|
265 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.54 %
|
Inferred
|
Total
|
163 Mt
|
Copper
|
3.8 %
|
Inferred
|
Total
|
163 Mt
|
Cobalt
|
0.45 %
|
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