Tilwezembe
Encyclopedia
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
.
The mine covers an area of 7.64 square kilometres (2.9 sq mi).
It has an indicated nine million tones 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 Gecamines
using contract labor. For a while, artesanal miners took over.
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.
In January 2008 Katanga Mining finalized acquisition of Nikanor PLC for $452m.
A joint venture of Katanga Mining (75%) and Gecamines (25%) began mining in 2007.
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.
Katanga Province
Katanga Province is one of the provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Between 1971 and 1997, its official name was Shaba Province. Under the new constitution, the province was to be replaced by four smaller provinces by February 2009; this did not actually take place.Katanga's regional...
of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
operated by Katanga Mining
Katanga Mining
Katanga Mining is a mining company in the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , majority-owned by Swiss commodity trader Glencore.-DCC:...
, a subsidiary of Glencore
Glencore
Glencore International plc is a multinational mining and commodities trading company headquartered in Baar, Switzerland and with its registered office in Saint Helier, Jersey...
.
The mine covers an area of 7.64 square kilometres (2.9 sq mi).
It has an indicated nine million tones 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 Gecamines
Gécamines
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...
using contract labor. For a while, artesanal miners took over.
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
Kananga Mine
The Kananga Mine is an open pit copper mine near Kolwezi in Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.-Resources:As of September 2007 it was reported that the mine had not been actively mined since March of that year....
and Tilwezembe mines. The deal was ratified by presidential decree.
In January 2008 Katanga Mining finalized acquisition of Nikanor PLC for $452m.
A joint venture of Katanga Mining (75%) and Gecamines (25%) began mining in 2007.
In November 2008, Katanga Mining said they had temporarily suspended mining and ore processing at the Kolwezi
Kolwezi
Kolwezi is a city in Katanga Province in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, west of Likasi. It is home to an airport and a railway to Lubumbashi. The population is approximately 418,000....
concentrator due to the depressed price of cobalt.