Louis Watum, Country Director of Ivanhoe Mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has just been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kamoa Copper SA. According to the partners in this joint venture, it has an expanded mission, which includes contributing to the development of the infrastructure of the Kamoa-Kakula project towards its commercial production phase.

Louis Waatum is part of a team composed of Mark Farren who is appointed Managing Director of the Kamoa-Kakula Copper joint venture. Warwick Morley-Jepson, will now assume the role of Chief Operating Officer of Ivanhoe. Yong Chen of Zijin Mining, as Chief Operating Officer, will join Mr. Farren as part of Kamoa-Kakula’s new management team.

« Louis, Mark and Warwick all have extensive experience in the development, construction and operation of underground mines in the region. And we have the greatest confidence in their ability to build and lead the joint venture team that will build and operate the six million tonne-per-year Kakula copper mine, while advancing the development efforts of our Kipushi and Platreef projects and accelerating exploration drilling on our 100% Western Foreland owned licenses, » Friedland said in an official statement.

Local content promoted in Kamoa Copper

Kamoa-Kakula Copper’s management team also includes Congolese nationals including Ben Munanga – Chief Energy Officer, Teddy Kabongo – Chief Tax Officer, and Dr. Guy Muswil – Chief Sustainability Officer.

They will deal with Rochelle De Villiers of Ivanhoe Mines and David Li of Zijin Mining who have been appointed Co-Financial Directors of Kamoa-Kakula.

For Ivanhoe Mines’ Co-President, Robert Friedland, the structure of this team reflects the high level of cooperation between the joint venture partners, who remain convinced of the individual skills and leadership quality of each member to contribute to the successful start-up of Kakula’s activities.

He added: » The management team will work closely with Mr. Watum and senior Congolese management, our government partners and our host communities to ensure that the Kakula mine is built on time, on budget and to the highest international standards, » Friedland added. »

Louis Watum, an exemplary career path

He joined Ivanhoe Mines in December 2014 as General Manager of the company’s operations in the DRC. In March 2015, Louis Watum was appointed to an additional position as Managing Director of Kamoa Copper SA.

Currently, he is the lead manager of Ivanhoe’s mining development activities for the discovery of the Kamoa copper mine and the Kipushi zinc-copper-silver mine, both located in the DRC.

Before joining Ivanhoe Mines, between 2010 and 2014, he successfully led the development and commissioning of Randgold’s Kibali project (Randgold’s interest in Kibali was then sold to Barrick Gold), following its launch of Moto Gold Mines’ Moto project from 2006 to 2009. He was in charge of operations at the Yatela gold mine in Mali from 2001 to 2005.

The Kamoa-Kakula Copper project is a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines (39.6%), Zijin Mining Group (39.6%), Crystal River Global Limited (0.8%) and the DRC government (20%). Ivanhoe Mines and Zijin Mining are co-financing the development of the project.

Initial copper concentrate production from the Kakula mine, the first of at least three mines planned in Kamoa-Kakula, is currently scheduled for the third quarter of 2021.

Emilie MBOYO