Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) and its joint venture partner La Générale des Carrières et des Mines (Gécamines) recently marked the return of operations at its Boss Mining asset in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The companies confirmed on 6 December that it celebrated the return of the open-pit copper and cobalt mine from care and maintenance, where it had been since 2019, on 23 November. It had been idled to allow for ERG and Gécamines to assess different investment paths and conduct further studies to improve operations’ economics and sustainability.
The phased restart will concentrate on processing historically mined fines over the next 16 months to produce copper cathodes and cobalt hydroxide. The operation will ramp up over the coming months to its full capacity and it will produce, on average, 1,800 t of copper cathode and 300 t of cobalt hydroxide a month by March 2023.
ERG CEO Benedikt Sobotka said the recent reopening ceremony not only marked the return to production, but also the partnership between it and Gécamines.
“Recognising that mining plays a vital role in the social and economic upliftment of its host communities, ERG aims to develop and scale operations at Boss Mining in a sustainable way to allow for positive, longer-term social, environmental and economic outcomes,” Sobotka said, noting 750 jobs will be returning to the region.
Gécamines CEO Ntambwe Ngoy Kabongo called the restart the “beginning of our journey” for the companies.
“[It] will provide financing for further potential development, exploration and other mining-related activities at Boss Mining. I am convinced that the revival of Boss Mining’s activities will allow for the creation of important number of new jobs in the future and the union of countless families from the surrounding communities and the four corners of the country.”
Boss Mining is currently renewing its five-year ESIA commitments and formalising its Cahier de Charges. Restarting the production will allow Boss Mining to update its commitments and social contributions.
Source: Eurasian Resources Group