Mining News — Ivanhoe Mines Reports the First Copper Shipment on the DRC-Angola Railway
Mining.com reported that Ivanhoe Mines has announed its first copper shipment from the Demorcratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to the maritime port in Angola via a new railway from the DRC to Angola.
The mines in the DRC are located at the Kamoa-Kakula copper complex operated by Ivanhoe Mines, while the port of Lobito in Angola is the one recieving the shipments via the new railway.
According to CEO of Ivanhoe Mines, Robert Friedland, this first copper shipment in an important milestone for the company’s future mining operations throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Here’s what he said:
“Our first trial shipment is an important milestone on the path to creating a new supply chain linking the Central African Copperbelt to world markets. Establishing a reliable, modern rail link to the port of Lobito in Angola will have transformational benefits for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola and Zambia.”
Robert Friedland is an outstanding spokesperson for the entire global mining industry. You can find many of his interviews and presentations on Youtube.
The global mining industry is particularly focused on the politics and economics of African countries. Zambia and DRC are two of the world’s largest producers of copper. What this new DRC-Angola railway intends to do is show the world how important the strategic minerals of Africa have become to the global markets. For the DRC and Angola to come to such an agreement, as establishing a vital railway link between the two countries from mine to port, just goes to show how mining projects are changing the dynamics of politics in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.
Read more about the geopolitical trends and latest mining news in the publication Areas & Producers.