Epiroc said it is continuing its successful partnership with Kamoa Copper SA in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The company said it won its largest-ever order, $62.9 million, for the expansion of the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Mining Complex.
Kamoa Copper has ordered Minetruck MT65 S haulers, a high payload underground mining truck, as well as Scooptram ST18 S loaders, Boomer 282 face drilling rigs, and Simba E70 S production drilling rigs.
“We chose Epiroc to be one of our strategic partners for the supply of trackless mobile mining equipment due to its proven and matured industry track record,” said Jan Johannes Hough, executive engineering at Kamoa Copper SA. “The equipment selected proved to be reliable and feasible in various applications in the mining industry. It will play a critical role in achieving production targets in line with the expansion program of Kamoa Copper SA and the resulting guidance given to the market.”
Kamoa-Kakula is set to become one of the world’s largest copper mines and will have one of the most favorable environmental footprints of all major copper mines, according to one of the major owners, Ivanhoe Mines. “The customer’s focus on sustainability and productivity, coupled with the large size of the mine, makes it especially exciting to contribute to its success,” said Helena Hedblom, president and CEO of Epiroc.
Epiroc has had a local presence in the DRC since 2001, and currently has about 120 employees in the country. The latest order is the third large order that Epiroc has received from Kamoa Copper for Kamoa-Kakula. In 2022, Kamoa Copper ordered $14 million worth of equipment, and in the second quarter 2023 it ordered equipment valued at about $11 million. Epiroc will also provide service of the machines, as well as on-site technical support and operator training.
The new machines have several advanced features, such as Epiroc’s telematics system, which allows for intelligent monitoring of machine performance and productivity in real time. Delivery will begin in 2024.
