Discover the Kipushi Mine
About KICO
Kipushi Corporation SA, known as KICO, is the operator of the Kipushi Mine, one of the richest high-grade zinc mineral deposits in the Central African Copperbelt.
KICO is a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines and the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s state-owned mining company, Gécamines. The partnership combines international mining expertise with national participation to responsibly develop one of the region’s most significant mineral resources.
The mine is located in the municipality of Kipushi, approximately 30 kilometres southwest of Lubumbashi and close to the border with Zambia, within one of the world’s most important mining regions.
KICO operates one of the world’s highest-grade major zinc mines, aiming for approximately 278,000 tonnes of zinc annually over the first five years of production. Output is focused on the high-grade “Big Zinc” zone and powered by clean hydroelectricity.
100+ Years of Mining History
Mining at Kipushi began in 1924, when Union Minière du Haut-Katanga (UMHK) first developed the deposit.
Over the following decades, the operation became one of Central Africa’s most important mining operations, producing zinc, copper, lead, germanium and other metals that supported industrial development around the world.
The mine was placed on care and maintenance in 1993, marking the end of a significant chapter in its history.
A new phase of development began in 2011, when Ivanhoe Mines and Gécamines partnered to redevelop the asset by creating KICO. The redevelopment programme modernised underground infrastructure, rehabilitated historic workings, and constructed surface infrastructure, including the new concentrator.
Following several years of engineering and construction, the mine returned to production in 2024, marking the revival of one of Africa’s most historic mining operations
The Mine Today
Kiko represents the transformation of a historic asset into a modern underground operation built for the future
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