Kolwezi is the operational centre of DRC copper and cobalt mining. The mines immediately around Kolwezi or within approximately 100 kilometres include Kamoa-Kakula (approximately 25 kilometres west), KCC (near the city), Mutanda (approximately 60 kilometres south), and Tenke Fungurume/KFM (approximately 80 kilometres east). Together these operations represent more than 1 million tonnes of annual copper production capacity and a substantial share of global cobalt supply.
The mines
Kamoa-Kakula (25 km west of Kolwezi): copper mine, approximately 437,000 tonnes in 2023. JV: Ivanhoe Mines (39.6%), Zijin Mining (39.6%), Crystal River Global (0.8%), DRC government (20%). In active phased expansion.
KCC — Kamoto Copper Company (near Kolwezi): underground copper-cobalt mining. Glencore 75%. Operates Kamoto and T17 underground mines.
Mutanda (approximately 60 km south): open-pit copper-cobalt, Glencore 100%. Approximately 300,000 tonnes copper at full production.
Tenke Fungurume / KFM (approximately 80 km east, near Fungurume): copper approximately 450,000 tonnes, cobalt approximately 18,000 tonnes. CMOC 80%, Gécamines 20%.
ASM activity
Kolwezi and its surroundings also host significant artisanal cobalt mining in designated ZEA and in informal activity adjacent to concession boundaries. CAMI has designated approximately 30 ZEA in Lualaba province, several of which are in the Kolwezi corridor. Artisanal mining in the area primarily targets heterogenite (copper-cobalt oxide ore) at or near surface and feeds into local trader networks that aggregate ore for processing.
