Geomechanics.io

  • Free Tools
Sign UpLog In
Built byBoxcut Studio

Geomechanics.io

Geomechanics, Streamlined.

© 2026 Geomechanics.io. All rights reserved.

Geomechanics.io

CMRR-ioGEODB-ioHYDROGEO-ioQCDB-ioFree Tools & CalculatorsBlogLatest Industry News

Industries

MiningConstructionTunnelling

Company

Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyLinkedIn
    Projects

    Kamoa-Kakula mine cost surge and output cuts: project risk notes for engineers

    November 5, 2026|

    Reviewed by Joe Ashwell

    Kamoa-Kakula mine cost surge and output cuts: project risk notes for engineers

    First reported on MINING.com

    30 Second Briefing

    Ivanhoe Mines has cut Kamoa-Kakula’s 2027 copper output guidance for a second time this year to 300,000–350,000 tonnes (from 380,000–420,000 tonnes) and lifted C1 cash cost guidance to $2.50–$3.00/lb amid lower grades, high diesel and reduced production. Steady-state capacity for the existing Phase 1–3 concentrators is now pegged at 400,000–450,000 tonnes, with shallow open-pit starter pits to begin waste stripping in Q1 2027 and first ore in Q3 2027, while eastern Kakula underground mining is delayed to late March 2028. A Phase 4 concentrator targeting ~500,000 t/y remains unapproved, with detailed engineering only starting in Q1 2027 and construction expected to take 18–24 months post-approval.

    Technical Brief

    • Kamoa-Kakula’s original 2027 guidance of 500,000–540,000 t copper has been progressively wound back.
    • Q3 2026 output reached 76,401 t of saleable copper, up from 64,328 t in Q2.
    • Full-year 2026 production is now expected at about 290,000 t of copper in concentrates.
    • Eastern Kakula production mining restart has slipped from late 2027 to late March 2028 after further geotechnical/engineering work.
    • 2027 capex guidance is $950 million–$1.15 billion, excluding an additional $100–$200 million for open-pit pre-stripping.
    • Upper end of 2026 capital spending has been cut by $200 million, with that spend deferred into 2027.
    • Phase 4 concentrator construction is estimated at 18–24 months post-approval, with detailed engineering only from Q1 2027.
    • Updated life-of-mine plan for Kamoa-Kakula is scheduled for release in March 2027, incorporating open-pit and Phase 4 options.
    • Hudbay Minerals will invest about C$30.1 million in Pecoy Copper, alongside a C$19.7 million second investor.

    Our Take

    With Freeport-McMoRan’s Bagdad expansion only targeting additional output around 2030 and the Sirius gas project in Colombia now pushed to 2031, the cost and schedule slippage at Kamoa-Kakula underscores how few large-scale copper or gas projects in our coverage are on track to deliver new supply before the late 2020s.

    Geotechnical Software for Modern Teams

    Centralise site data, logs, and lab results with GEODB-io, CMRR-io, and HYDROGEO-io.

    No credit card required.

    • Save and export unlimited calculations
    • Advanced data visualisation
    • Generate professional PDF reports
    • Cloud storage for all your projects

    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

    Related Articles

    Eagle Nuclear–Noble Plains deal: ISR uranium resource and drilling lens for engineers
    Mining
    about 3 hours ago

    Eagle Nuclear–Noble Plains deal: ISR uranium resource and drilling lens for engineers

    Eagle Nuclear Energy has signed a binding all‑stock LOI to acquire 100% of Noble Plains Uranium at a deemed C$0.125 per share, a 92% premium to Noble Plains’ 29 October TSXV close, with Noble Plains shareholders to hold about 4.78% of the combined equity. The deal adds ISR‑amenable projects in Wyoming, including the Duck Creek project in the Powder River basin with 5.32M lbs U₃O₈ Indicated and 1.04M lbs Inferred (NI 43‑101) over only 2.5 miles of a 5.25‑mile trend. Eagle plans a 12–18 month phased exploration programme targeting deeper mineralised formations and further resource growth around existing ISR infrastructure.

    Mining
    about 3 hours ago

    Freeport’s US$4.5bn Bagdad expansion: design and haulage notes for mine planners

    Freeport-McMoRan has approved a US$4.5 billion brownfield expansion and modernisation of its wholly owned Bagdad copper–molybdenum mine in northwest Arizona, aiming to more than double current mining and milling rates. The plan includes enlarging the autonomous haulage system (AHS) truck fleet and installing a new overland conveyor to move higher tonnages from pit to plant, reducing reliance on truck haulage. For mine planners and geotechs, the scale-up will drive larger pit pushbacks, higher waste movement and updated slope, haul road and dump designs.

    Rare Earths Norway €24m Fen pilot plant: flowsheet and zoning notes for mine planners
    Mining
    about 3 hours ago

    Rare Earths Norway €24m Fen pilot plant: flowsheet and zoning notes for mine planners

    Rare Earths Norway has approved a €24-million pilot plant at Ulefoss to test an integrated ore-to-rare-earth-oxide flowsheet for the Fen deposit, which holds 123 million indicated tonnes at 1.35% TREO plus 1.08 billion inferred tonnes at 1.31% TREO. The plant, housed in an existing industrial building and targeting 6,000 tonnes of ore over three years, is slated to start up in Q3 2027 with funding support from Innovation Norway, the Telemark Development Fund and EIT RawMaterials. Design changes include increasing the protective rock cover above underground openings from 25 m to 100 m, while a state-led zoning process aims to fix mine, plant, tailings and infrastructure locations by 2028.

    Related Industries & Products

    Mining

    Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.

    Construction

    Quality control software for construction companies with material testing, batch tracking, and compliance management.

    CMRR-io

    Streamline coal mine roof stability assessments with our cloud-based CMRR software featuring automated calculations, multi-scenario analysis, and collaborative workflows.

    HYDROGEO-io

    Comprehensive hydrogeological testing platform for managing, analysing, and reporting on packer tests, lugeon values, and hydraulic conductivity assessments.

    GEODB-io

    Centralised geotechnical data management solution for storing, accessing, and analysing all your site investigation and material testing data.

    AllGeotechnicalInfrastructureHazardsEnvironmental