According to Mining Weekly, Ivanhoe Mines is accelerating its work program at the Makoko copper project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The project currently has approximately 12 million tonnes of contained copper resources, up 30% from the 2025 estimate, while ongoing drilling is expected to further expand the resource base.
The Canadian mining company announced on the 8th that the Makoko deposit, part of the Western Forelands project, has an indicated mineral resource of 42 million tonnes grading 2.66% copper, along with an inferred mineral resource of 612 million tonnes grading 1.8% copper.
Ivanhoe considers Makoko to be one of the largest and highest-grade copper discoveries in the world over the past decade, and the latest resource results have prompted the company to accelerate its development plans.
The resource update comes at a time when surging copper prices and a decline in major new discoveries have heightened concerns about future supply. The DRC, already the world’s second-largest copper producer, is becoming increasingly important in meeting growing global demand.
Ivanhoe plans to begin a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for Makoko in the first quarter of 2027, while expanding its drilling program to support accelerated project development.
Development Plans
The company is considering a combination of open-pit and underground mining methods, which could reduce upfront capital requirements and shorten the time needed to bring the project into production.
Ivanhoe has already begun site preparation activities, including fence construction, road development and environmental baseline studies.
The company aims to draw on its experience developing the nearby Kamoa-Kakula joint venture, which progressed from discovery to production in less than six years.
Makoko’s resource base could continue to grow. Approximately 60,000 metres of drilling have already been completed in 2026, but these results were not included in the latest resource estimate. In addition, the mineralized body remains open in multiple directions, according to Robert Friedland, founder of Ivanhoe Mines.
“Our track record of discovering copper in the Western Forelands is unmatched… Our copper discovery rate is extraordinary, with 100 million pounds of copper discovered for every 1,000 metres drilled,” Friedland said.
Copper Project Pipeline
At a time when mining companies are struggling to find large-scale, high-grade deposits capable of supporting future copper demand, the scale of Makoko gives Ivanhoe another long-term resource capable of supporting production in one of the world’s most important copper-producing countries.
The Western Forelands project is located near the infrastructure of the producing Kamoa-Kakula copper mine, with access to specialized services. This could help Ivanhoe bring Makoko into production more quickly and economically.
As mining companies face increasing difficulties in finding large, high-grade deposits to replace aging mines, the enormous scale of Makoko provides Ivanhoe with another potential source of long-term copper production in the DRC.
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