Khoemacau Copper Mining has reported a strong start to the year with 10,610 tonnes of copper in concentrate produced in the first quarter of 2025, for the three months ending March 31st. This makes it a 4% increase from the previous quarter.
According to the First Quarter Production Report by MMG Limited, “this increase was primarily due to higher ore grades resulting from the mining sequence. Production was partially offset by lower ore milled throughput as a result of record rainfall in Botswana—the highest in 50 years.”
The copper mining company revealed that improved production is expected in the second quarter with the arrival of the dry season.
In the third quarter, a mining contractor change will be implemented. “The company will actively monitor and manage the transition to focus on safety and minimise short-term impacts on production,” reported Khoemacau.
The report forecasts that, in line with prior guidance, “Khoemacau copper production for 2025 is expected to be between 43,000 and 53,000 tonnes.” Khoemacau still maintains that they have growth and expansion plans to increase copper production to 60,000 tonnes annually by 2026/27.
The report explained, “this will utilise the existing 3.65 Mtpa process plant, focusing on accessing the higher-grade areas of the mine through increased mining fronts and operational flexibility.
Furthermore, production improvements will be further supported by the completion of the primary vent fans installation, expected by the end of April 2025, and the ongoing construction of a paste fill plant to enhance extraction rates. C1 costs are expected to improve as the operation scales up.
The company plans to expand the mine’s capacity to 130,000 tonnes of copper in copper concentrate per annum by building a new 4.5 Mtpa process plant, increasing Zone 5 output, and developing the expansion deposits.
Khoemacau highlighted that “early works including: camp and road construction; land acquisition; and personel recruitment has commenced. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2026, with first concentrate production in 2028 and a projected C1 cost of US$1.55/lb at full capacity, subject to the outcomes of the feasibility study.”
