Tilwezembe

Tilwezembe is an open-pit copper and cobalt mine in Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo operated by Katanga Mining, a subsidiary of Glencore.

Tilwezembe
Location
Tilwezembe
ProvinceKatanga Province
CountryDemocratic Republic of the Congo
Coordinates10°47′58″S 25°41′32″E
Production
ProductsCopper, Cobalt
Owner
CompanyKatanga Mining
Websitewww.katangamining.com

The mine covers an area of 7.64 square kilometres (2.95 sq mi). It has an indicated nine million tonnes of ore with 1.89% copper and 0.60% cobalt. Mining in the Tilwezambe pit has taken place off and on since 1999. At first this was done by the state-owned Gécamines using contract labor. Artisanal miners took over, some as young as 10.[1][2] Sixty miners died there in 2011.[1]

In March 2004, Dan Gertler International and Beny Steinmetz Global founded a firm named Global Enterprises Corporate (GEC). In May 2004 GEC signed a preliminary agreement with Gécamines, finalized in September that year, to rehabilitate and operate the Kananga and Tilwezembe mines. The deal was ratified by presidential decree.[3] In January 2008 Katanga Mining finalized acquisition of Nikanor PLC for $452m.[4] A joint venture of Katanga Mining (75%) and Gécamines (25%) began mining in 2007.[2] In November 2008, Katanga Mining said they had temporarily suspended mining and ore processing at the Kolwezi concentrator due to the depressed price of cobalt.[5]

References
  1. John Sweeney (14 April 2012). "Mining giant Glencore accused in child labour and acid dumping row: London-listed company denies polluting river in Congo and profiting from children working underground". The Guardian.
  2. "An Independent Technical Report on the Material Assets of Katanga Mining Limited..." (PDF). SRK Consulting. 17 March 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 May 2012. Retrieved 2011-11-06.
  3. Barry Sergeant (3 Apr 2007). "Nikanor's DRC mining contract quandary". Archived from the original on 21 November 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
  4. "History". Katanga Mining. Archived from the original on 2011-11-10. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
  5. "Kolwezi Concentrator Update" (PDF). Katanga Mining. November 21, 2008. Retrieved 2011-11-06.
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