DRA Global (DRA) has received a contract to provide basic engineering services on the Kakula Mine portion of the greater Kamoa-Kakula Project.
Image: Kamoa-Kakula project is a large, high grade, copper-only deposit. Photo courtesy of disign/Pixabay.
Kamoa-Kakula project is a large, high grade, copper-only deposit, located in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kamoa Copper will develop the new copper mine, which is expected to yield an estimated 6mtpa in its first phase alone. Kamoa Copper is a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines, Zijin Mining Group and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Kakula deposit is an independently top ranked, undeveloped, high yield, high-grade copper discovery and the resource in this deposit is estimated at 174 million tons at a grade of 5.62% copper.
DRA claims that its project delivery relationship with Ivanhoe Mines has started on the high-grade platinum-group metals, nickel and copper Platreef Project in South Africa
On this project, the company has demonstrated its experienced capability in project delivery which proved to be a key differentiator for the organization on Kakula.
In 2017, DRA has been contracted to complete the pre-feasibility study (PFS) for Kamoa Copper and in October 2018, DRA was again awarded the contract to deliver a complete Basic Engineering package.
Under the contract, the company has to provide the basic engineering and design related to the underground mining infrastructure, the concentrator plant and all supporting surface infrastructure. Work has started in October 2018 and is estimated to conclude by mid-2019.
Apart from the contract, DRA is expected to provide continued support on the early works, which includes equipping the main declines with dewatering and conveyor systems, ventilation shafts and associated surface infrastructure.
DRA projects executive vice president Alistair Hodgkinson said “The team working on this project has gone above and beyond to meet deadlines and exceed client expectations ultimately to ensure that this signature project starts producing as soon as possible.
“The DRA team overcome all challenges head-on and worked in collaboration to find flexible solutions that add value to the project.”