China’s JCHX Mining Management is one of the most successful mining contractors in Africa – through its subsidiary Jimond Mining Management Company (JMMC) it carries out development and mining operations at the Kamoa-Kakula copper mine in DRC, owned primarily by Ivanhoe Mines and Zijin Mining. Also in DRC it is the mining and development contractor for Kipushi, a joint venture between Ivanhoe and Gécamines, a DRC state-owned mining company. And it has contracts at the Metorex-owned Ruashi Mining, Kisenda and Chibuluma Mines operations plus the new Musonoi project at Ruashi – Metorex being part of Jinchuan Group. Finally it is conducting the mining and development at Wanbao Mining’s Kamoya operation.
In Zambia it also carries out the contract mining and development at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) which was just extended by two years; and at NFC Africa Mining’s Chambishi operation, which includes the new Southeast Orebody Project. Finally it is a mine owner and operator in its own right – with two mines in its own portfolio – Lonshi in DRC, previously owned by ERG; and Dikulushi, also in DRC, which it acquired from a subsidiary of Trafigura.
On new work, it has additionally just secured a new $116 million contract to operate Lubambe copper mine in Zambia. The contract covers extracting copper from the mine’s south flank, located in the mineral-rich Copperbelt province, from June 1, 2023 to June 30, 2026. Lubambe Copper Mine is owned 80% by EMR Capital Resources, while 20% is held by ZCCM Investments Holdings, a successor company to Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Ltd.
Back to DRC, the installation of the main and service cant frames of the ultra large headgear of the main shaft at Musonoi was successfully completed recently by JCHX-owned Kingko Construction SARL, marking the completion of hoisting system installation, which has represented another milestone of Kingko in installation and demonstrated JCHX’s strength in ultra large headgear installation.
The installation of the main shaft hoisting system and construction of service facilities are key works of the project. The main shaft (bank @1,465 mL, 685 m depth) is set in the upper part of west limb of orebody and is equipped with two hoisting systems, including a main hoisting system (skip) with a counterweight and a service hoisting system (cage) with a counterweight. The headgear (69 m high, 2,000 t weight) was erected under the support of lifting mast and winch, becoming the first ultra large steel headgear successfully erected by Kingko and what JCHX says is the first ultra large headgear in Africa. The main and service cant frames weigh about 1,300 t.
After the mobilisation of over 50 headgear parts, the project started the assembly of mast and main & service cant frames, and the hoisting, welding, cleaning and painting of the main headgear part in a coordinated and effective way. The management held multiple special meetings to discuss solutions to remove site constraints and erection difficulties, made specific requests on safety matters, job responsibilities and work disciplines, and conducted technical disclosures for erection method, sequence and process. The special erection method requires a number of pulley sets, to which threading holds the key. Then experienced workers were arranged. The threading of 72 main cable braces and 144 main hoisting cables was successfully finished after 15 days work.
The mast erection started on May 28, 2023, under the support of main hoisting system and crane and completed successfully five days later. The erection of main and service cant frames was completed respectively on June 5 and 10, which were then connected in the air.