[Underground Operations at Kakula Mine Suspended Again; Ivanhoe and Zijin Advance Remediation Efforts]
According to latest announcement from Ivanhoe Mines, underground mining activities at Kakula Mine were suspended again on Saturday, May 25, 2025, following intermittent seismic activity in recent days. All employees have been safely evacuated, and mobile equipment has been withdrawn from the mine. Seismic events may persist for several weeks, limiting access to the underground workings and prolonging the temporary shutdown.
Ivanhoe President and CEO Marna Cloete stated, “While underground mining at Kakula is temporarily halted, our focus is on maintaining water management infrastructure and accelerating the procurement of surface dewatering equipment. We have sufficient flexibility to continue supplying the Kakula concentrators from surface stockpiles and may temporarily redeploy personnel and equipment to the Kamoa Mine.”
Surface infrastructure at Kakula—including Phase 1 and Phase 2 concentrators and the direct-to-blister smelter—remains unaffected. Both concentrators are currently processing ore from stockpiles. Operations at the Kamoa underground mine and the adjacent Phase 3 concentrator continue without interruption.
The 2025 production and cost guidance for the Kamoa-Kakula project, along with the ramp-up schedule for the smelter, have been withdrawn pending further assessment. Ivanhoe and Zijin remain committed to restoring operations as soon as it's safe to do so.
