KOLWEZI, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO – Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN; OTCQX: IVPAF) Co-Chairs Robert Friedland and Yufeng “Miles” Sun today announced a major milestone in the development of the tier one Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with the initial joining of the main northern and southern access tunnels at the Kakula Copper Mine ─ the first of multiple, high grade, underground copper mines to be developed on the project’s 400-square-kilometre mining licence.
The Kakula Mine is being developed on the eastern portion of the Kakula Deposit ─ representing less than half of the overall 13.3-kilometre-long (8.3-miles) deposit. The main access tunnels (drives) between the northern and southern declines at the Kakula Mine were connected (holed) in the high-grade core of the deposit, where the average grade is projected to exceed 8% copper.
This week’s holing has opened up the first two high grade, drift-and-fill mining blocks totalling 10.6 million tonnes at an average grade of 6.78% copper (5.7 million tonnes @ 7.04% copper and 4.9 million tonnes @ 6.48% copper) near the centre of the deposit (see Figure 1).
“Now that we have initiated development of Kakula’s first two high-grade ore blocks, it is important to note that these two areas alone contain more than 700,000 tonnes of in-situ copper, and approximately 600,000 tonnes of recoverable copper,” said Mr. Friedland. “With copper trading at approximately US$7,000 a tonne, the saleable value of the copper concentrate produced from these initial two blocks exceeds the estimated capital cost to develop both the first and second phases of production at Kamoa-Kakula. This is the true definition of a tier one mine.”
“The tunneling work completed to join Kakula’s northern and southern declines is comparable to driving a major tunnel ─ large enough to drive city buses through ─ from the east side to the west side of the island of Manhattan in New York,” Mr. Friedland added.
The Kakula Mine is expected to have a mine life of approximately 21 years, while the western portion of the Kakula Deposit – Kakula West – is scheduled to be Kamoa-Kakula’s third underground mine to be developed and have a mine life of approximately 16 years.
“The holing is a major achievement and milestone for the project team and our underground mining crews. It opens up the mine’s footprint for ventilation and, more importantly, marks our entry into high-grade ore from both sides of the deposit,” said Mark Farren, Kamoa Copper’s CEO.
“We have moved quickly to open up these high-grade reserves at the core of the Kakula Deposit. We now will complete the ledging work and prepare the drift-and-fill mining areas for production so that we can feed the concentrator plant with high-grade ore directly from underground when the plant starts operations in July 2021.”
“The holing was spot on and we are very pleased with the result. Ventilation has always been a key factor in determining how many underground mining crews can work at the same time. Air now is flowing freely between the northern and southern declines – a distance of more than four kilometres – allowing us to add additional mining crews in the high-grade drift-and-fill blocks as we require them. Each block in the central portions contains up to seven million tonnes of high-grade ore,” Mr. Farren added.
Underground development from the southern decline was performed by mining crews from JMMC, the DRC subsidiary of leading Chinese mining contractor JCHX, while development from the northern decline was performed by Kamoa Copper’s mining crews.
Marna Cloete, Ivanhoe Mines’ President and CFO (right), celebrates Kakula’s first holing with Jan Strydom, Kamoa Copper’s Managerial Leader: Operations (left). Mr. Strydom and his mining crews were instrumental in the successful connection of the main access drives from the northern and southern declines.
Watch a short, time-lapse video of the drilling and blasting process for the holing event: https://vimeo.com/477672587/67ed1b4d74
Members of Kamoa-Kakula’s team of talented Congolese celebrate the holing.
(Left to right) Olivier Binyingo, Ivanhoe Mines’ VP Public Affairs for DRC; Ben Munanga, General Manager, Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC; Christelle Nday, Admin Office Manager; Lydia Makong, Geologist; Pontien Kalala, Section Manager; Magloire Kashiba, Production Manager; Micheline Kyenge, Geologist; Louis Watum, General Manager Kipushi Project; Didier Masengo, Senior Mine Geologist; Franck Twite, Senior Geology Superintendent; and Numbi Kabale, Ivanhoe Financial Reporting.
Second holing expected by June 2021, opening up 26 million tonnes of ore to feed the initial 3.8-Mtpa concentrator plant
The second set of connection drives is expected to hole by June 2021, opening up an additional high-grade and medium-grade mining block. The width of the initial planned mining blocks of the Kakula orebody measures 1,475 metres, of which 880 metres is in the +5% and +8% copper grade contours (see Figure 1). When the second holing is achieved, ore available for mining will increase to approximately 26 million tonnes.
Phase 1 copper concentrate production from the Kakula Mine is scheduled to begin in July 2021. Kakula is projected to be the world’s highest-grade major copper mine, with an initial mining rate of 3.8 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) at an estimated average feed grade of more than 6.0% copper over the first five years of operation.
Phases 1 and 2 combined are forecast to produce up to 427,000 tonnes of copper per year. Based on independent benchmarking, the project’s phased expansion scenario to 19 Mtpa would position Kamoa-Kakula as the world’s second-largest copper mining complex, with peak annual copper production of more than 800,000 tonnes.
A recent, independent audit of Kamoa-Kakula's greenhouse gas intensity metrics performed by Hatch Ltd. of Mississauga, Canada, confirmed that the project will be among the world's lowest greenhouse gas emitters per unit of copper produced.
“After more than 25 years of exploration and development, we are now less than nine months away from unveiling the world’s next truly great copper mine. After hitting one milestone after another, we are now down to the short strokes before we welcome government representatives, institutional investors, and analysts from the world’s leading banks to the mine’s grand opening,” said Mr. Friedland.
Kakula average grade of 6.2% copper over the initial five years of operations; combined Kakula-Kansoko average grade of 4.5% copper over a 37-year mine life
In September 2020, Ivanhoe announced the findings of an independent pre-feasibility study (PFS) for the project’s Phase 2, 7.6-Mtpa operation that evaluates the development of mining activities at both the Kakula Mine, initially at a rate of 3.8 Mtpa and ramping up to 6.0 Mtpa; and the Kansoko Mine, initially at a rate of 1.6 Mtpa to fill the expanded, Phase 2, 7.6-Mtpa concentrator plant at Kakula and ramping up to 6 Mtpa as the reserves at Kakula are depleted.
A few key results for the Kakula-Kansoko 2020 PFS:
- Kakula-Kansoko benefits from an ultra-high feed grade averaging 6.2% copper over the first five years of operations, and 4.5% copper on average over a 37-year mine life.
- An average annual production rate of 331,000 tonnes of copper at a mine-site cash cost of US$0.55 per pound (lb) of copper and total cash cost of US$1.23/lb copper for the first 10 years of operations, and annual copper production of up to 427,000 tonnes by year four. Kakula is expected to produce a very-high-grade copper concentrate of approximately 57% copper, with extremely low arsenic levels.
The mining method for the Kakula Deposit primarily is drift-and-fill using paste backfill; with the exception of a room-and-pillar area close to the northern declines, which will be mined in the early years of production. The paste backfill system will utilize a paste plant located on surface connected to a distribution system that includes a surface pipe network connected to bore holes located at each connection drive on the northern side of the orebody. Approximately 99% of the deposit will be mined using drift-and-fill, which was chosen to maximize the extraction of high-grade Kakula ore.
Figure 1: The successful holing has opened up the first two high grade, drift-and-fill mining blocks shown in purple (5.7 million tonnes @ 7.04% copper) and grey (4.9 million tonnes @ 6.48% copper) shown below.
Note: Tonnes and grades for the central high-grade blocks represent a 7-metre ‘best cut’ horizon within the Mineral Resource model with a basal contact referenced to 1 metre above the bottom contact of the basal siltstone. Tonnes and grade for the medium-grade northern and southern blocks represent a 6-metre ‘best cut’ horizon within the Mineral Resource model with a basal contact referenced to 1 metre above the bottom contact of the basal siltstone. Grade contours are modelled based on the 6-metre-high best cut.
Figure 2: The 13.3-kilometre Kakula Deposit overlain on Manhattan to provide a sense of size of the deposit.
Figure 3: The 13.3-kilometre Kakula Deposit overlain on London.
Figure 4: The 13.3-kilometre Kakula Deposit overlain on Beijing.
The Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project is a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines (39.6%), Zijin Mining Group (39.6%), Crystal River Global Limited (0.8%) and the DRC government (20%).
Two 220-kilovolt (kV) transformers arriving at the Kakula Mine site earlier this week. Each weighing 85 tonnes, the transformers are the last major pieces of equipment for the Phase 1, 3.8-Mtpa operation. They are being installed at the Kakula Mine substation to receive clean, sustainable hydroelectricity from the national grid.
Watch a short, time-lapse video of the arrival and installation of the transformers at the Kakula Mine substation: https://vimeo.com/477680792/5567936d3f
About Ivanhoe Mines
Ivanhoe Mines is a Canadian mining company focused on advancing its three principal joint-venture projects in Southern Africa: the development of major new, mechanized, underground mines at the Kamoa-Kakula copper discoveries in the DRC and at the Platreef palladium-platinum-nickel-copper-rhodium-gold discovery in South Africa; and the extensive redevelopment and upgrading of the historic Kipushi zinc-copper-germanium-silver mine, also in the DRC. Kamoa-Kakula is expected to begin producing copper in July 2021 and, through phased expansions, is positioned to become one of the world's largest copper producers. Kamoa-Kakula and Kipushi will be powered by clean, renewable hydroelectricity and will be among the world’s lowest greenhouse gas emitters per unit of metal produced. Ivanhoe also is exploring for new copper discoveries on its wholly-owned Western Foreland exploration licences in the DRC, near the Kamoa-Kakula Project.
Qualified Persons
Disclosures of a scientific or technical nature regarding development scenarios at the Kamoa-Kakula Project in this news release have been reviewed and approved by Steve Amos, who is considered, by virtue of his education, experience and professional association, a Qualified Person under the terms of NI 43-101. Mr. Amos is not considered independent under NI 43-101 as he is the Head of the Kamoa Project. Mr. Amos has verified the technical data disclosed in this news release.
Other disclosures of a scientific or technical nature in this news release have been reviewed and approved by George Gilchrist, who is considered, by virtue of his education, experience and professional association, a Qualified Person under the terms of NI 43-101. Mr. Gilchrist is not considered independent under NI 43-101 as he is the Vice President, Resources of Ivanhoe Mines. Mr. Gilchrist has verified the other technical data disclosed in this news release.
Ivanhoe has prepared an independent, NI 43-101-compliant technical report for the Kamoa-Kakula Project, which is available on the company’s website and under the company’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com:
- Kamoa-Kakula Integrated Development Plan 2020 dated October 13, 2020, prepared by OreWin Pty Ltd., China Nerin Engineering Co., Ltd., DRA Global, Epoch Resources, Golder Associates Africa, KGHM Cuprum R&D Centre Ltd., Outotec Oyj, Paterson and Cooke, Stantec Consulting International LLC, SRK Consulting Inc., and Wood plc.
The technical report includes relevant information regarding the assumptions, parameters and methods of the mineral resource estimates on the Kamoa-Kakula Project cited in this news release, as well as information regarding data verification, exploration procedures and other matters relevant to the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.
Information contacts
Investors: Bill Trenaman +1.604.331.9834 / Media: Matthew Keevil +1.604.558.1034
Forward-looking statements
Certain statements in this release constitute “forward-looking statements” or “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “predict” and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the company’s current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this release.
Such statements include without limitation, the timing and results of: (i) statements regarding the average grade is projected to exceed 8% copper in the high-grade centre of the deposit; (ii) statements regarding Phase 1 copper production from the Kakula Mine is scheduled to begin in July 2021; (iii) statements regarding Kakula is projected to be the world’s highest-grade major copper mine, with an initial mining rate of 3.8 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) at an estimated average feed grade of more than 6.0% copper over the first five years of operation; (iv) statements regarding Phases 1 and 2 combined are forecast to produce up to 427,000 tonnes of copper per year; (v) statements regarding based on independent benchmarking, the project’s phased expansion scenario to 19 Mtpa would position Kamoa-Kakula as the world’s second-largest copper mining complex, with peak annual copper production of more than 800,000 tonnes; (vi) statements regarding the project will be among the world's lowest greenhouse gas emitters per unit of copper produced; (vii) statements regarding Kakula-Kansoko benefits from an ultra-high feed grade averaging 6.2% copper over the first five years of operations, and 4.5% copper on average over a 37-year mine life; (viii) statements regarding Kakula-Kansoko is expected to have an average annual production rate of 331,000 tonnes of copper at a mine-site cash cost of US$0.55/lb copper and total cash cost of US$1.23/lb copper for the first 10 years of operations, and annual copper production of up to 427,000 tonnes by year four; and (ix) statements regarding Kakula West is scheduled to be the third mine developed at Kamoa-Kakula and have a mine life of approximately 16 years; (x)statements regarding Kakula is expected to produce a very-high-grade copper concentrate of approximately 57% copper, with extremely low arsenic levels; and (xi) statements regarding with copper trading at approximately US$7,000 a tonne, the saleable value of the copper concentrate produced from Kakula’s initial two mining blocks exceeds the estimated capital cost to develop both the first and second phases of production at Kamoa-Kakula.
As well, all of the results of the Kakula definitive feasibility study, the Kakula-Kansoko pre-feasibility study and the Kamoa-Kakula preliminary economic assessment, constitute forward-looking statements or information, and include future estimates of internal rates of return, net present value, future production, estimates of cash cost, proposed mining plans and methods, mine life estimates, cash flow forecasts, metal recoveries, estimates of capital and operating costs and the size and timing of phased development of the projects. Furthermore, with respect to this specific forward-looking information concerning the development of the Kamoa-Kakula Project, the company has based its assumptions and analysis on certain factors that are inherently uncertain. Uncertainties include: (i) the adequacy of infrastructure; (ii) geological characteristics; (iii) metallurgical characteristics of the mineralization; (iv) the ability to develop adequate processing capacity; (v) the price of copper; (vi) the availability of equipment and facilities necessary to complete development; (vii) the cost of consumables and mining and processing equipment; (viii) unforeseen technological and engineering problems; (ix) accidents or acts of sabotage or terrorism; (x) currency fluctuations; (xi) changes in regulations; (xii) the compliance by joint venture partners with terms of agreements; (xiii) the availability and productivity of skilled labour; (xiv) the regulation of the mining industry by various governmental agencies; (xv) the ability to raise sufficient capital to develop such projects; (xiv) changes in project scope or design; and (xv) political factors.
Forward-looking statements and information involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indicators of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements or information, including, but not limited to, the factors discussed below and under “Risk Factors”, and elsewhere in this release, as well as unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of parties to contracts with the company to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; and the failure of exploration programs or studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued exploration, studies, development or operations.
Although the forward-looking statements contained in this release are based upon what management of the company believes are reasonable assumptions, the company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this release.
The company’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of the factors set forth below in the “Risk Factors” section in the company’s Q3 2020 MD&A and its current annual information form.
刚果民主共和国科卢韦齐 — 艾芬豪矿业 (TSX: IVN; OTCQX:IVPAF) 联席董事长罗伯特·弗里兰德 (Robert Friedland) 与孙玉峰 (Miles Sun) 今天宣布，其位于刚果民主共和国 (以下简称“刚果”) 的卡莫阿-卡库拉 (Kamoa-Kakula) 顶级铜矿项目内的卡库拉 (Kakula) 铜矿，两条南北主要运输通道已初步完成贯通，实现了项目开发的一个重要里程碑。卡库拉铜矿是卡莫阿-卡库拉项目400平方公里开采许可区内规划的多个高品位地下铜矿中的首产矿山。
卡库拉矿山从卡库拉矿床的东部推进采掘，走向长度约占矿床总长度13.3公里 (8.3英里) 的一半。卡库拉矿山南北两面斜坡道的两条主要运输通道现已连接完成 (贯通) 并到达高品位的矿床中心，该矿段的平均铜品位预计超过8%。
两条运输通道于本周贯通后，开辟了矿床中心附近的两个高品进路式充填首采矿区，矿石量总计1,060万吨，平均铜品位达6.78% (其中包括570万吨铜品位7.04%的矿石以及490万吨铜品位6.48%的矿石) (见图1)。
弗里兰德先生说﹕“目前，我们已在卡库拉两个高品位的首采区进行开拓工程，值得注意的是，单是这两个采矿区已含有超过70万吨的铜金属量，约60万吨的可采铜量。以现时铜交易价格约每吨7,000美元计算，这两个首采区生产的铜精矿的可售价值已高于卡莫阿-卡库拉的第一和第二序列生产估计所需的资本开支，而这也定义了顶级矿山的真正含义。”
弗里兰德先生补充说﹕“卡库拉南北两面斜坡道的通道连接工程，规模之大足以比拟城市巴士横越纽约曼哈顿岛东西两面的一条大型隧道。”
卡库拉的矿山寿命预计约为21年，而卡库拉矿床的西部 (卡库拉西部) 计划将成为卡莫阿-卡库拉项目的第三个地下矿山，矿山寿命约为16年。
卡莫阿铜业首席执行官马克·法伦(Mark Farren) 说﹕“运输通道的贯通，是项目团队和我们地下采掘班组的一项重大成就和里程碑，大大改善了矿山的通风情况，而更重要的是，采掘班组现已可同时从矿床两侧进入高品位矿段进行采掘。”
“我们已迅速启动在卡库拉矿床中心进行这些高品位储量的采掘工作。目前，我们将完成壁架建设，并在进路式充填采矿区作好生产准备，待选矿厂于2021年7月实现投产时，直接从地下运送高品位矿石供给选矿厂。 ”
法伦先生补充说﹕“我们对于两条运输通道贯通的精准感到十分满意。矿山的通风情况是决定有多少地下采掘人员能够同时工作的关键因素。目前，南北两面斜坡道的空气流通情况理想 (距离4公里以上)，这使我们能够按需要增加采掘班组的人手，在高品位分层充填采矿区进行采掘。矿床中心部分的每个采矿区都含有高达700万吨的高品位矿石。 ”
南面斜坡道的地下开拓工程由JMMC的采掘班组进行。JMMC是中国领先的矿业承包商金诚信矿业公司位于刚果的子公司。北面斜坡道的开拓工程则由卡莫阿铜业的采掘班组负责。
艾芬豪矿业总裁兼首席财务官玛娜·科洛特 (Marna Cloete) (右) 和卡莫阿铜业业务主管Jan Strydom (左) 庆祝卡库拉矿山首次贯通。凭借Strydom先生和他的采掘班组的不懈努力，使南北两面斜坡道的两条主要运输通道成功连接完成。
关于贯通前进行的钻孔和爆破工程的简短快放视频，可通过此链接观看：https://vimeo.com/477672587/67ed1b4d74
卡莫阿-卡库拉的优秀刚果团队成员庆祝贯通成功。
(从左至右) 艾芬豪矿业刚果公共事务副总裁 Olivier Binyingo、艾芬豪矿业能源 (刚果) 总经理Ben Munanga、办公室经理 Christelle Nday、地质学家 Lydia Makong、部门经理 Pontien Kalala、生产经理 Magloire Kashiba、地质学家 Micheline Kyenge、基普什项目总经理 Louis Watum、资深矿山地质学家 Didier Masengo、资深地质总监 Franck Twite，以及艾芬豪财务部人员 Numbi Kabale。
第二部分贯通工程预计于2021年6月完成，可为380万吨/年的初始选矿厂供给2,600万吨矿石
第二部分的两条接驳通道预计于2021年6月贯通，将开拓额外的高品位和中品位采矿区。卡库拉矿体内初步规划的采矿区宽度为1,475米，其中880米位于铜品位+5%和+8%的等高线 (见图1)。第二部分贯通工程完成后，可采矿量将会增加至约2,600万吨。
卡库拉矿山计划于2021年7月实现首批铜精铜生产，预期将会成为全球品位最高的大型铜矿，初始年处理矿量为380万吨，预计投产后前5年的平均给矿铜品位达6.0%以上。
第一和第二序列总共每年将会生产约42.7万吨的铜金属。根据独立的研究机构排名，一旦项目扩产至1,900万吨/年，卡莫阿-卡库拉将成为全世界第二大铜矿山，年度最高铜产量将超过80万吨。
加拿大密西沙加的Hatch Ltd.最近对于卡莫阿-卡库拉的温室气体强度指标进行了独立审核，确定项目将会成为全球每单位铜的温室气体排放量最低的矿山之一。
弗里兰德先生说﹕“过去25年来，我们一直努力进行勘探和开发工作。现在还有短短的9个月，我们就可展示世界下一个真正的大型铜矿。随着一个又一个里程碑的相继实现，我们现已到达最后的阶段。我们将邀请各国政府代表、机构投资者和全球领先银行的分析师，与我们一同见证矿山投产的正式开幕。”
卡库拉投产后前5年的平均铜品位高达6.2%；卡库拉-卡索科 (Kakula-Kansoko)于矿山全寿命37年期间的综合平均铜品位达4.5%
2020年9月，艾芬豪公布项目第二序列760万吨/年作业的独立预可行性研究结果。预可研对于卡库拉矿山和卡索科 (Kansoko) 矿山的采矿活动进行评估。卡库拉初步以年处理矿量380万吨作业，并将扩大至600万吨/年。卡索科以初步年处理矿量160万吨来补足卡库拉第二序列760万吨/年选矿厂的入选矿量。后期随着卡库拉的储量逐步耗尽，卡索科的年处理矿量最终将会扩大至600万吨。
2020年卡库拉-卡索科预可行性研究结果的部分重点﹕
- 卡库拉-卡索科于投产后的前5年期间，铜入选矿品位达到平均6.2%的超高水平，于矿山全寿命37年期间，平均铜品位达到4.5%。
- 投产后前10年的平均年产量达33.1万吨铜金属，矿场现金成本每磅铜0.55美元，总现金成本每磅铜1.23美元，并于第4年达到年产量42.7万吨铜金属。卡库拉预计将会生产铜品位约57%的极高品位铜精矿，且含砷量极低。
卡库拉矿床主要采用进路式充填采矿法和浆料回填，在北面斜坡道附近的采区则使用房柱式采矿法，这将在生产的早期进行。浆料回填系统将使用连接传送系统的地表浆料厂，该分配系统设有地表管网，贯通矿体北面每条接驳通道的钻孔位置。矿床约99%将会采用进路式充填采矿法，以最大程度的采集的卡库拉高品位矿体。
图1﹕下图显示贯通成功开拓的首两个高品位进路式充填采矿区 — 紫色位置 (570万吨，铜品位 7.04%) 和灰色位置 (490万吨，铜品位6.48%)。
注﹕矿床中心高品位采矿区的矿石量和品位，代表矿产资源模型中7米的“最佳采掘”层位，其底部接触是指底粉砂岩底部接触面上方的1米位置。南北两面中品位采矿区的矿石量和品位，代表矿产资源模型中6米的“最佳采掘”层位，其底部接触是指底粉砂岩底部接触面上方的1米位置。品位等高线以6米的最佳采掘为基础。
图2﹕卡库拉矿床总长度13.3公里，重叠在曼哈顿地图上显示，可见其规模之大。
图3﹕卡库拉矿床总长度13.3公里，重叠在伦敦地图上显示。
图4﹕卡库拉矿床总长度13.3公里，重叠在北京地图上显示。
卡莫阿-卡库拉铜矿项目是艾芬豪矿业(占股39.6%)、紫金矿业集团(占股39.6%)、晶河全球(占股0.8%) 及刚果民主共和国政府(占股20 %) 共同持有的合资项目。
两台220千伏的变压器于本周初运抵卡库拉矿场。每台变压器重85吨，是第一序列380万吨/年作业的最后主要设备。变压器在卡库拉变电站完成安装后，将从国家电网获得清洁、可再生的水电能源。
关于卡库拉矿山变电站的变压器到达现场和进行安装的简短快放视频，可通过此链接观看：https://vimeo.com/477680792/5567936d3f
关于艾芬豪矿业
艾芬豪矿业是一家加拿大的矿业公司，目前正推进旗下位于南部非洲的三大合资企业项目﹕位于刚果的卡莫阿-卡库拉 (Kamoa-Kakula) 铜矿和位于南非的普拉特瑞夫 (Platreef) 钯-铂-镍-铜-铑-金矿的大型机械化地下矿山开发工程，以及同样位于刚果、久负盛名的基普什 (Kipushi) 锌-铜-锗-银矿的大型重建和改善工程。卡莫阿-卡库拉预计将于2021年7月实现铜生产，并分阶段进行扩建，预计将会成为全球最大规模的铜生产商之一。卡莫阿-卡库拉和基普什将使用清洁、可再生的水电，并将成为全球每单位金属温室气体排放量最低的矿山之一。同时，艾芬豪正在刚果境内其全资拥有、毗邻卡莫阿-卡库拉项目的西部前沿 (Western Foreland) 勘探许可区内寻找新的铜矿资源。
合资格人士
本新闻稿中关于卡莫阿-卡库拉项目开发方案的科学或技术性披露已经由史蒂夫·阿莫斯 (Steve Amos) 审查和批准，他凭借其教育、经验和专业协会会籍被认为是NI 43-101 标准下的合资格人士。由于阿莫斯先生是卡莫阿项目的负责人，因此他并不符合NI 43-101 对独立人士的界定。阿莫斯先生已核实本新闻稿所披露的技术数据。
本新闻稿中的其它科学或技术性披露已经由乔治·吉尔克里斯特 (George Gilchrist) 审查和批准，他凭借其教育、经验和专业协会会籍被认为是NI 43-101 条款下的合资格人士。由于吉尔克里斯特先生是艾芬豪矿业资源部副总裁，因此他并不符合NI 43-101 对独立人士的界定。吉尔克里斯特先生已核实本新闻稿所披露的其它技术数据。
艾芬豪已经为卡莫阿-卡库拉项目编制了一份符合NI 43-101 标准的独立技术报告，该报告可在艾芬豪网站以及SEDAR 网站上的艾芬豪页面获得，网址为www.sedar.com：
- 2020年10月13日发布的2020年卡莫阿-卡库拉综合开发方案，由OreWin Pty Ltd.、中国瑞林工程技术有限公司、DRA Global、Epoch Resources、Golder Associates Africa、KGHM Cuprum R&D Centre Ltd. 、Outotec Oyj、Paterson and Cooke、Stantec Consulting International LLC、SRK Consulting Inc.以及Wood plc编制。
技术报告包括本新闻稿中引用的卡莫阿-卡库拉项目的矿产资源估算的假设、参数和方法等信息，以及本新闻稿中关于科学和技术性披露的数据验证、勘探程序和其他事项的信息。
联系方式
投资者﹕Bill Trenaman +1.604.331.9834 / 媒体﹕Matthew Keevil +1.604.558.1034
前瞻性陈述
本新闻稿载有的某些陈述可能构成适用于证券法所定义的“前瞻性陈述”或“前瞻性信息”。该等陈述及信息涉及已知和未知的风险、不明朗因素和其他因素，可能导致本公司的实际业绩、表现或成就、其项目或行业的业绩，与前瞻性陈述或信息所表达或暗示的任何未来业绩、表现或成就产生重大差异。该等陈述可通过文中使用“可能”、“将会”、“会”、“将要”、“打算”、“预期”、“相信”、“计划”、“预计”、“估计”、 “安排”、“预测”、“预言”及其他类似用语，或者声明“可能”、“会”、“将会”、“可能会”或“将要”采取、发生或实现某些行动、事件或结果进行识别。这些陈述仅反映本公司于本新闻稿发布当日对于未来事件、表现和业绩的当前预期。
该等陈述包括但不限于下列事项的时间点和结果﹕(i) 关于高品位矿床中心预计铜品位高达8%以上的陈述；(ii) 关于卡库拉矿山计划于2021年7月实现第一序列铜生产的陈述；(iii) 关于卡库拉预期将会成为全球品位最高的大型铜矿，初始年处理矿量为380万吨，估计投产后前5年的平均给矿铜品位达6.0%以上的陈述；(iv) 关于第一和第二序列总共每年将会生产高达42.7万吨铜金属的陈述；(v) 关于独立的研究机构排名显示，一旦项目扩产至1,900万吨/年，卡莫阿-卡库拉将成为全世界第二大铜矿山，年度最高铜产量将超过80万吨的陈述；(vi) 关于项目将成为全球每单位铜温室气体排放量最低的矿山之一的陈述；(vii) 关于卡库拉-卡索科于投产后的前5年期间，铜给矿品位达到平均6.2%的超高品位，于矿山全寿命37年期间，平均铜品位达到4.5%的陈述；(viii) 关于卡库拉-卡索科预计于投产后前10年的平均年产量达33.1万吨铜金属，矿场现金成本每磅铜0.55美元，总现金成本每磅铜1.23美元，并于第4年达到年产量42.7万吨铜金属的陈述；(ix) 关于卡库拉西部计划将成为卡莫阿-卡库拉的第三个开发矿山，矿山寿命约16年的陈述； (x) 关于卡库拉预计将会生产铜品位约57%的极高品位铜精矿，且含砷量极低的陈述；以及(xi) 关于以现时铜交易价格约每吨7,000美元计算，卡库拉两个首采区生产的铜精矿的可售价值已高于卡莫阿-卡库拉第一和第二序列生产所需资本开支估算的陈述。
此外，卡库拉最终可行性研究、卡库拉-卡索科预可行性研究以及卡莫阿-卡库拉初步经济评估的所有结果，构成了前瞻性陈述或信息，并包括内部收益率的未来估算、净现值，未来产量、现金成本估算、建议采矿方案和方法、矿山寿命估计、现金流预测、金属回收率、资本和运营成本估算，以及项目分期开发的规模和时间点。另外，对于与卡莫阿-卡库拉项目开发有关的特定前瞻性信息，公司是基于某些不确定因素而作出假设和分析。不确定因素包括：(i) 基础设施的充足性；(ii) 地质特征；(iii) 矿化的冶金特征；(iv) 发展充足选矿产能的能力；(v) 铜价格；(vi) 完成开发所需的设备和设施的可用性；(vii) 消耗品和采矿及选矿设备的费用；(viii) 不可预见的技术和工程问题；(ix) 事故或破坏或恐怖主义行为；(x) 货币波动； (xi) 法例修订；(xii) 合资伙伴对协议条款的遵守情况；(xiii) 熟练劳工的人手和生产率；(xiv) 各政府机构对矿业的监管；(xv) 筹集足够资金以发展该等项目的能力；(xiv) 项目范围或设计更变；以及(xv) 政治因素。
前瞻性陈述及信息涉及重大风险和不确定性，故不应被视为对未来表现或业绩的保证，并且不能准确地指示能否达到该等业绩。许多因素可能导致实际业绩与前瞻性陈述或信息所讨论的业绩有重大差异，包括但不限于“风险因素”以及本新闻稿其他部分所指的因素，以及有关部门实施的法律、法规或规章或其不可预见的变化；与本公司签订合约的各方没有根据协议履行合约；社会或劳资纠纷；商品价格的变动；以及勘探计划或研究未能达到预期结果或未能产生足以证明和支持继续勘探、研究、开发或运营的结果。
虽然本新闻稿载有的前瞻性陈述是基于本公司管理层认为合理的假设而作出，但本公司不能向投资者保证实际业绩会与前瞻性陈述的预期一致。这些前瞻性陈述仅是截至本新闻稿发布当日作出，而且受本警戒性声明明确限制。根据相应的证券法，本公司并无义务更新或修改任何前瞻性陈述以反映本新闻稿发布当日后所发生的事件或情况。
由于公司在2020年第三季度管理层讨论和分析和当前年度报告中“风险因素”部分所列的因素，公司的实际业绩可能与这些前瞻性陈述中预期的业绩有重大差异。