The Kambove mines (French: Société minière de Kababancola) are a group of active or abandoned copper mines near Kambove in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They were originally established by the Union Minière du Haut-Katanga under Belgian rule.

Kambove mines
Location
Kambove mines is located in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Kambove mines
Kambove mines
ProvinceKatanga Province
CountryDemocratic Republic of the Congo
Coordinates10°48′46″S 26°35′09″E / 10.812868°S 26.585745°E / -10.812868; 26.585745
Production
ProductsCopper, cobalt
Owner
CompanyGécamines
Websitewww.gecamines.cd
Kambove Geologic Column

Inactive mines in the region include Kabolela Mine, Kakanda deposit, Kambove Principal Mine and M'sesa Mine.[1] Gécamines, a state-owned mining company, owns the Kamoya central, Kamoya south, Shangolowe and Kamfundwa mines.[2] Other mines are Kambove West Mine and the "secret" Kamoya South II Mine.[1]

In January 2001 the Kababancola Mining Company (KMC) was established as a copper and cobalt mining partnership for a 25-year term.[3] Tremalt, controlled by John Bredenkamp, held 80% of KMC while Gecamines held 20%.[4] KMC gained the rights to mines, facilities and concentrators at Kambove and Kakanda. KMC made relatively low investment in these properties, continuing to operate the already-functioning Kamoya Mine but not opening the others.[3] In March 2002 the DRC authorities took back control of the Kambove concentrator from Tremalt following a complaint by the manager of KMC against Gecamines at the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Kambove, Katanga Copper Crescent, Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)". Mindat. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  2. ^ "Exploitation". Gécamines. Archived from the original on 16 October 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Looting of mineral resources in the DRC: the bottom card of the company KMC". The Conscience. 9 March 2006. Archived from the original on 4 July 2007. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  4. ^ Barry Sergeant (6 May 2007). "Copper/cobalt bull elephants square up in the DRC". Mining Newsletter. United Nations. Archived from the original on 2 November 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  5. ^ Europa Publications (2003). Africa South of the Sahara 2004. Routledge. p. 275. ISBN 1-85743-183-9.