Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) and DRC state-owned-enterprise Gécamines have announced the restart of mining operations at the DRC operation.

ERG and its joint-venture partner, La Générale des Carrières et des Mines (Gécamines), celebrated the kick-off of the restart of operations at Boss Mining with a ceremony held at its concession on 23 November 2022.  The restart will focus on processing historically mined fines and production is expected to ramp up to a full capacity of 21.6ktpy Cu cathode and 3.6ktpy Co hydroxide by March 2023.  Boss previously produced cobalt carbonate as an intermediate suggesting that the owners have made changes to the flowsheet.  

Boss Mining was placed on care and maintenance in February 2019 while its owners reviewed the economics and sustainability of the operation.  The closure was expected and should be remembered in the context of the suspension of ERG's Chambishi smelter in Zambia (which was supplied with Boss Mining feed - mainly sulphide ore towards the end) as well as the introduction of a 5% duty on cobalt and copper concentrates imported into Zambia that same year.  Both events made the operation of Boss uneconomic. Indeed the operation had probably only operated in 2017 and 2018 thanks to high cobalt prices.  

The restart boosts ERG's cobalt hydroxide capacity with Metalkol RTR looking to reach 24ktpy over the coming years.