By: Ecofin agency

Binyingo, who also serves as Ivanhoe Mines' Vice President Public Affairs DRC, gave an upbeat outlook for copper prices.

“We are heading toward a structural copper shortage. The upward price trend should continue and accelerate,” he said.

The interview also addresses the impact of two major events that affected the Kamoa-Kakula project in 2025: a seismic incident and the commissioning of a new smelter.

In May 2025, Kamoa Copper reported underground seismic activity at the Kakula mine, prompting operational adjustments. The company later announced the resumption of underground mining in the western section of Kakula on June 7, 2025, while revising its 2025 production guidance to between 370,000 and 420,000 tonnes of copper.

Later in the year, the company commissioned a new smelter with a nominal capacity of 500,000 tonnes of concentrate per year.

The Kamoa-Kakula mining complex is 39.6% owned by Ivanhoe Mines, 39.6% by Zijin Mining, 20% by the Congolese state and 0.8% by Crystal River Global Limited.