 A 1.5 cm, highly lustrous, dark green libethenite crystal from the Luiswishi Mine. | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
  Luiswishi mine | |
| Province | Haut-Katanga |
| Country | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Coordinates | 11°30′55″S27°26′21″E / 11.515287°S 27.439299°E |
| Production | |
| Products | Copper, Cobalt |
| Owner | |
| Company | Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt |
The Luiswishi mine is an open cut copper and cobalt mine in Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Luiswishi was one of the first copper and cobalt mines to be exploited in Katanga by Belgium, opened around 1900. Production came to an end in 1962. In 1980 the state-controlled Gécamines started fresh prospecting, but abandoned the project due to budgetary problems. [1] In 1998 Gécamines signed a contract with a subsidiary of Groupe Forrest International to re-open the mine. [2] Resources were estimated at between 7.5 and 8 million tons of ore graded 2.8% copper and 1.0% cobalt.
As of 2002, the Mine was estimated to have a production capacity of about 4,500 tonnes per year of cobalt in concentrates. A joint venture between Gécamines and l'Enterprise Générale Malta Forrest was producing copper-cobalt concentrates from the mine, exported to OM Group's Kokkola refinery in Finland under a long-term supply contract. In November 2002, Forrest announced that the mine would close for an indefinite period of time for a complete refurbishment and to make improvements to the flotation plant, which had been in continuous operation for 5 years. [3] The mine reopened in April 2003 and quickly resumed full production. [4] In December 2008 the mine closed again due to low cobalt prices. [5]
Compagnie Miniere du Sud Katanga (CMSK) operates the mine, owned 60% by Enterprise Générale Malta Forrest, a subsidiary of Groupe Forrest International and 40% by Gécamines. [6] CMSK was formed in January 2004 and owns the rights to Luiswishi mine and also to Luishia Mine, inactive as of 2011. The ore is concentrated in CMSK's plant at Kinpushi before being shipped abroad for processing. CMSK employs about 300 people directly, and another 350 serve as contractors. [7] CMSK produces 12,000 tons of copper annually and about 4,000 tons of cobalt. This is about 8% of world cobalt production. [8]
Leaked diplomatic cables caused allegations that US officials were ignoring reports of dangerously high levels of radiation at Luiswishi mine, and implied that uranium was being separated from the ore which purportedly held only copper and cobalt. [9] Groupe Forrest International refuted rumors of radiation or illegal trading in uranium. Forrest noted that although uranium was present in the copper and cobalt ore from the mine, it was at far too low a grade to be exploited. Forrest also said the radioactivity in the Luiswishi mine was largely lower than the European standards. DRC government officials and United Nations personnel had visited the mine and found no problems. [8]
In October 2012, Forrest sold its shares in the mine back to Gécamines. In 2015, Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt bought the mine, and constructed two refineries in the area. [10]
The Union Minière du Haut-Katanga was a Belgian mining company which controlled and operated the mining industry in the copperbelt region in the modern-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between 1906 and 1966.
La Générale des Carrières et des Mines (Gécamines) is a Congolese commodity trading and mining company headquartered in Lubumbashi, in the Katanga region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is a state-controlled corporation founded in 1966 and a successor to the Union Minière du Haut-Katanga. Gecamines is engaged in the exploration, research, exploitation and production of mineral deposits including copper and cobalt.
The Forrest Group is a group of companies founded around the mining industry in 1922. As of 2018, the Forrest Group is active primarily in Central and East Africa. It is owned by George Arthur Forrest, a Belgian entrepreneur of New Zealand descent.
Katanga Mining Ltd was a mining company operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with its headquarters in Canada. Katanga Mining operated a major mine complex in the Congo's Katanga Province, producing refined copper and cobalt. It claimed to have the "potential of becoming Africa's largest copper producer and the world's largest cobalt producer."
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Luishia mine was an open pit copper and cobalt mine in Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A concession to the south of the mine has recently been opened to exploitation.
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Nikanor plc was a publicly quoted holding company for Global Enterprises Corporate (GEC) with assets in the rich Copperbelt region in Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
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Mukondo Mine is a copper and cobalt mine in Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. As of 2011 it was operated by the Central African Mining and Exploration Company. It may be the richest cobalt reserve in the world.
Kamatanda is a region just north of Likasi in the Haut-Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It gives its name to an open-pit copper mine, a railway junction, an abandoned airport and a residential area of Likasi.