Mining and smelting of copper and cobalt at the Kamoto complex with integrated concentrator and refinery facility in Kolwezi
Katanga Mining Ltd.
Zug (CH) · Kolwezi (CD)New on Amplifa
About Katanga Mining
Katanga Mining Ltd. is a holding company based in Zug (Switzerland) that, through its subsidiaries, mines, processes and sells copper and cobalt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The core asset is the mining complex in Kolwezi (Lualaba Province) with the three open-pit mines KOV, T17 and Mashamba East, the KTO underground mine, the Kamoto Concentrator (KTC) and the Luilu metallurgical refinery. Through Kamoto Copper Company (KCC), in which Glencore holds 70%, Gécamines 25% and the Congolese state 5%, copper and cobalt ores are mined, upgraded in the concentrator and refined into metal products in Luilu. The company was founded in 1996 in Canada, was consolidated in 2008 through the acquisition of Nikanor plc, and has been a wholly owned group company since the acquisition by Glencore in June 2020. In April 2025, KCC received the Copper Mark under the RRA-3.0 standard for responsible production practices.
- Site
- Zug
- Processes
- Copper mining (open pit, underground), Ore concentration (Kamoto Concentrator KTC), Copper and cobalt refining (Luilu refinery), Copper and cobalt production, Ore processing (concentrator), Refinery (Luilu), Exploration and development
- Materials
- Copper, Cobalt, Copper ore, Cobalt ore, Copper and cobalt ore
- Certificates
- Copper Mark (RRA 3.0)
- Founded
- 1996
- Employees
- 6400
- Industries
- Mining, Copper, Cobalt
- 01
Mining (open pits KOV, T17, Mashamba East; underground KTO)
- 02
Ore processing (Kamoto Concentrator KTC)
- 03
Refining (Luilu refinery)
- 04
Sale of copper and cobalt metal
Raw Materials and Processes
Copper
Production of refined copper metal from copper ore via the concentrator and the Luilu refinery.
Cobalt
Production of cobalt metal from cobalt ore, a main product of the Kolwezi complex.
Copper and cobalt ore
Ore extracted from the open pits and the underground mine, the feed material for processing.
Sites
Zug
CHHead office of the holding company
Kolwezi
CDMining complex: open pits KOV, T17, Mashamba East; underground mine KTO; Kamoto Concentrator (KTC); Luilu refinery
- Materials
- Copper ore, cobalt ore
- KOV open-pit mine
- T17 open-pit mine
- Mashamba East open-pit mine
- KTO underground mine
- Kamoto Concentrator (KTC)
- Luilu refinery
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper mining (open pit, underground)Mining/Processing | – | – | – | – | Copper ore, Cobalt ore |
| Ore concentration (Kamoto Concentrator KTC)Processing | – | – | – | – | Copper ore, Cobalt ore |
| Copper and cobalt refining (Luilu refinery)Metallurgy/Refining | – | – | – | – | Copper, Cobalt |
6 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open-pit mine | KOV | 1 | – | – | Kolwezi, Lualaba, DRC |
| Open-pit mine | T17 | 1 | – | – | Kolwezi, Lualaba, DRC |
| Open-pit mine | Mashamba East | 1 | – | – | Kolwezi, Lualaba, DRC |
| Underground mine | KTO | 1 | – | – | Kolwezi, Lualaba, DRC |
| Concentrator (ore processing) | Kamoto Concentrator (KTC) | 1 | – | – | Kolwezi, Lualaba, DRC |
| Metallurgical refinery | Luilu Refinery | 1 | – | – | Kolwezi, Lualaba, DRC |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and Standards
The operating company Kamoto Copper Company was awarded the Copper Mark against the RRA-3.0 standard in April 2025 following a third-party audit; it is thus one of the first mining operations in Africa to hold this certification.
| Evidence | Kolwezi |
|---|---|
| Copper Mark (RRA 3.0) |
History
- 1996
Founded on 7 October 1996
- 1997
First listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange in August
- 2007
The DRC Copper and Cobalt Project (DCP) begins mining in Tilwezembe
- 2008
Acquisition of Nikanor plc for USD 452 million; temporary suspension of Tilwezembe and Luilu due to low cobalt prices
- 2020
Acquisition by Glencore, delisting from the TSX, completion of the amalgamation in June
- 2025
KCC receives the Copper Mark under the RRA-3.0 standard in April