Ivanhoe reports fatal accident at Kamoa-Kakula mine in Congo

The Kamoa-Kakula copper project. (Credit: Ivanhoe Mines)

Ivanhoe Mines on Friday reported a fatal accident at its Kamoa-Kakula joint venture in Democratic Republic of Congo, which started producing copper concentrate last week.

The accident occurred underground at the Kakula mine, Ivanhoe said in a statement, when a contractor’s employee was hit in the leg by a loose rock while working at one of the working faces, causing him to fall backwards and strike his head on a rock.

“Despite immediate first-aid assistance by his colleagues, he passed away at the accident scene,” Ivanhoe said.

The Kamoa-Kakula mine, a joint venture with China’s Zijin Mining, started producing on May 26, several months ahead of schedule.

Kamoa-Kakula is owned by Ivanhoe (39.6%), Zijin Mining Group (39.6%), Crystal River Global Limited (0.8%) and the Congolese government (20%).

(By Helen Reid; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

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