Ivanhoe Mines announced that the Kipushi Mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) achieved a monthly production record of 25,677 tonnes of zinc in concentrate in May.
During the month, the concentrators milled a record 72,003 tonnes of ore at an average recovery of 93%, with an average plant feed grade of 36.2% zinc. The production record is 12% higher than the previous record of 22,968 tonnes of zinc, which was set in January 2026.
Year-to-date zinc production totals approximately 110,000 tonnes of zinc. Annualized, this is equivalent to approximately the mid-point of the 2026 production guidance range of 240,000 to 290,000 tonnes of zinc.
During May, 85,811 tonnes of ore were mined and hoisted to the surface. At the end of May, approximately 12,000 tonnes of ore were stored in surface, high-grade run-of-mine (ROM) stockpiles, at a grade of approximately 37% zinc. The lower-grade stockpiles contain 254,000 tonnes of ore with an average grade of approximately 22% zinc.
Construction of Kipushi’s tailings storage facility expansion is nearing completion
Construction of the Kipushi Mine’s second tailings storage facility (TSF) is over 90% complete, with the first deposit of tailings expected from October 2026. Lining of the new TSF’s paddock 2B extension, along with the existing TSF, are designed to be compliant with Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM).
