Kamfundwa Mine
Encyclopedia
The Kamfundwa Mine is one of the Kambove mines
in the mining region around Kambove
, Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
It is near the Shangulowé Mine, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of the Kamoya mine district.
The "owners" of the mine employed a strict security force to prevent the miners taking specimens.
In early 2001, it was reported that the mine started to produce carrollite
crystals of extraordinary size and quality.
Some single crystals were almost as large as baseballs.
In fact, many specimens of carrollite were falsely attributed to Kamfundwa when it was still a secret location.
.
Harambee was prime for developing the copper-cobalt deposit at Kamfundwa.
As of 30 September 1999 an area about 1500 metres (4,921.3 ft) long and from 200 metres (656.2 ft) to 600 metres (1,968.5 ft) wide had been drilled off to a depth of 260 metres (853 ft). A stockpile of about 300,000 tonnes of ore grading 4% copper and 0.3% cobalt had been built up.
The mine is now owned by Gecamines.
As of 2008 annual capacity was reported to be 400,000 tonnes copper in ore and 48,000 tonnes cobalt in ore.
Ore is transported to the concentrator at Kambove
for processing.
Kambove mines
The Kambove mines are a group of active or abandoned copper mines near Kambove in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Inactive mines in the region include Kabolela Mine, Kakanda deposit, Kambove Principal Mine and M'sesa Mine....
in the mining region around Kambove
Kambove
Kambove is a town in Haut-Katanga District, Democratic Republic of the Congo.Kambove lies at an altitude of 4783 ft . Economic activity in the area includes cobalt processing.Kambove is the center of the Kambove mines region....
, Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
It is near the Shangulowé Mine, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of the Kamoya mine district.
Secret mine
The Kamoya South II Mine was opened in 1998 as a benched open cut secret mine.The "owners" of the mine employed a strict security force to prevent the miners taking specimens.
In early 2001, it was reported that the mine started to produce carrollite
Carrollite
Carrollite, CuCo2S4, is a sulfide of copper and cobalt, often with substantial substitution of nickel for the metal ions, and a member of the linnaeite group. It is named after the type locality in Carroll County, Maryland, USA, at the Patapsco mine, Finksburg, Sykesville.- Unit cell :Space group:...
crystals of extraordinary size and quality.
Some single crystals were almost as large as baseballs.
In fact, many specimens of carrollite were falsely attributed to Kamfundwa when it was still a secret location.
Ownership and development
Development partners were Harambee Mining Corp, the Swiss company Sogemin and the state-owned GecaminesGécamines
Gécamines, or La Générale des Carrières et des Mines, is a state-owned mining company in the Democratic Republic of Congo . Its principal products are copper , cobalt and zinc...
.
Harambee was prime for developing the copper-cobalt deposit at Kamfundwa.
As of 30 September 1999 an area about 1500 metres (4,921.3 ft) long and from 200 metres (656.2 ft) to 600 metres (1,968.5 ft) wide had been drilled off to a depth of 260 metres (853 ft). A stockpile of about 300,000 tonnes of ore grading 4% copper and 0.3% cobalt had been built up.
The mine is now owned by Gecamines.
As of 2008 annual capacity was reported to be 400,000 tonnes copper in ore and 48,000 tonnes cobalt in ore.
Ore is transported to the concentrator at Kambove
Kambove
Kambove is a town in Haut-Katanga District, Democratic Republic of the Congo.Kambove lies at an altitude of 4783 ft . Economic activity in the area includes cobalt processing.Kambove is the center of the Kambove mines region....
for processing.