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2021-11
China Nerin has signed a 500ktpa copper smelting contract for the Kamoa-Kakula Smelter
November 18, 2021, China Nerin Engineering Co., Ltd. and Kamoa Copper S.A., DRC, held a contract signing ceremony for the 500ktpa copper smelting project for the Kamoa-Kakula Smelter. Mr. Robert Friedland, the Founder of Ivanhoe Mines; Chen Jinghe, Chairman of Zijin Mining; Sun Yufeng, Co-Chair of Ivanhoe Mines; Zhou Chao, EVP and Chief Representative, China of Ivanhoe Mines; Zhang Xiaobo, Chairman of China Nerin; and Wu Runhua, General Manager of China Nerin attended the virtual ceremony at Nanchang and the Kamoa-Kakula Mine.
Kamoa Copper S.A. is an important joint venture of Zijin Mining and Ivanhoe Mines, both of which are giants in global mining business. Kamoa Copper Mine owned by Kamoa Copper S.A. is located in Kolwezi, DRC, the world famous Central African Copper (Cobalt) metallogenic belt. With 43.69 million tons of copper reserves (metal), it is ranked the fourth largest copper mine in the world. Kamoa Copper Mine is a successful model for Chinese enterprises to develop overseas resources through international cooperation. Kamoa Copper S.A. plans to build a 500ktpa super-huge smelter adjacent to the existing concentrator. The smelter will be designed to treat most copper concentrate from the Kamoa-Kakula Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 concentrator plants. It is projected to be the largest, single-line copper smelter in the world, and the largest in Africa.
China Nerin is an international engineering company with more than 60 years of experience in smelter engineering and construction projects globally. China Nerin has provided technical consulting services for the Kamoa Copper project since 2013. Currently, about one-third of the concentrate from the Kamoa-Kakula Mine is transported to and treated by the Lualaba Copper Smelter designed and built by China Nerin. The Kamoa Copper Smelter project was awarded to China Nerin after the international competitive bidding.
China Nerin will work with Metso Outotec to provide process technology for the project. In order to treat high-grade copper concentrate, the project will adopt direct-to-blister copper smelting process, which leads to shorter flow sheet and higher heat utilization efficiency. The smelter will also make full use of rich hydroelectric resources in the area to further reduce carbon emissions and become a typical green low-carbon and environmentally friendly plant after completion. Based on our successful experience in a dozen of flash smelters in production, China Nerin will integrate the independently developed technologies and equipment, assemble a construction management team with international engineering experience, and carry out the commissioning services together with production operation management resources from Chinese copper flash smelters, aiming to blaze a new trail to export equipment and management services along with export of engineering technologies. China Nerin is confident in building the project into a benchmark copper smelter in the world by contributing “Nerin solutions”.
Over the years, China Nerin has been deeply engaged in the field of copper smelting engineering, and thus has not only reached the international advanced level in terms of technology, but also achieved fruitful results in research and development of intelligent equipment. China Nerin’s large complete equipment technology was recently awarded the second prize of 2020 National Science and Technology Progress Award. China Nerin has successively provided technical services and equipment for a number of international well-known enterprises including BHPB, Glencore, CODELCO, and Kennecott. China Nerin among Chinese enterprises has undertaken the most copper smelting engineering or EPC services. The successful signing of this project is a new milestone for China Nerin to actively participate in the "Belt & Road Initiative", accelerate the pace of internationalization, and realize high-quality development. The project is of great significance to promote the export of technology and equipment in China's non-ferrous metals industry and enhance China Nerin's international influence.