Epiroc said it won a $17 million order from JCHX Mining and Construction Ltd. for equipment to be used at an underground mine that is reopening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
JCHX, a mining contractor, has ordered several Epiroc loaders, mine trucks and drill rigs, including service support, for use at the Kipushi zinc, copper, germanium and silver mine in the Haut-Katanga province in the southern DRC. After decades of production, the mine closed for care and maintenance in 1994. Construction started last year to re-open the mine, with production targeted for late 2024.
“From the group headquarters to the front-line team, Epiroc has set the highest priority for this equipment order and on-site technical support,” said JCHX International Division President Youcheng Wang.
“We look forward to supporting JCHX in making operations at the Kipushi mine as safe and productive as possible,” said Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s President and CEO.
The ordered equipment, manufactured in Sweden, includes Scooptram ST14 loaders, Minetruck MT42 haul trucks, and Simba production drill rigs. The Scooptram and Minetruck machines will be equipped with Epiroc’s telematics system Certiq, which allows for intelligent monitoring of machine performance and productivity in real-time, and with Epiroc’s Rig Control System, RCS, which makes them ready for automation and remote control.
“JCHX has been a customer of Epiroc for many years, both in Africa and Europe, and we are pleased to continue delivering innovative solutions that will help to optimize operations at Kipushi,” said Sami Niiranen, President of Epiroc’s Underground division.
The Kipushi mine is owned by Kipushi Corp., a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines of Canada and Gécamines, a DRC state-owned mining company. Deliveries will begin soon and continue into early 2024.
