Copper Cobalt Africa

SAIMM is proud to host the Third Copper Cobalt Africa Conference.
To be held in Livingstone, Zambia, this anticipated and prestigious event provides a unique forum for discussion, sharing of experience and knowledge, and networking for all those interested in the processing of copper, cobalt, and base metals in an African context, in one of the world’s most spectacular settings – the Victoria Falls.

The African Copper Belt has experienced a period of some difficulty since the last conference, held in 2018. Owing to the global slowdown in commodity demand during the early stages of the pandemic, many operations scaled down production or were placed on care and maintenance. For those continuing in business, this resulted in considerable focus on process and operating cost optimization, productivity improvements, product quality enhancements, skills development and capacity building, and consolidation of best practice within the industry. Ongoing projects are required to be well-defined and -motivated, and subject to greater technical and financial scrutiny, to ensure that they can rapidly ramp up and deliver immediate value.

The burgeoning global lithium-ion battery market has, however, opened up numerous opportunities in the region for expanded cobalt production and interest in producing high-purity base-metal salts for cathode material applications, as well as consideration of recycling efforts for end-of-life products.

This conference provides a platform for discussion of new and more agile ways of operating and remaining relevant and innovative in a world that has changed considerably since the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Technical topics span the value chain from mineralogy and geometallurgy, through project development, operations and processing, to high-purity value-added products, recycling, and sustainability issues. Selected papers on relevant economic issues will also be considered. Industry operators will be able to share technical experience and practices, meet vendors, and learn about new technologies and processes that can add value to their operations. World-class plenary speakers will offer a unique opportunity to hear first-hand opinions on the status and overview of the industry.

Two Continuing Professional Development short courses are planned. Hydrometallurgy of Cobalt will focus on the various unit operations in cobalt processing, with relevance to the Copperbelt operations. As a new technology now being implemented in the region, Sulfide Flotation will provide an introduction to this topic for metallurgists, covering both fundamental and practical techniques. Both courses will be presented by leading engineers and accredited by the Engineering Council of South Africa.

For international participants, this conference offers an ideal opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of and exposure to the African copper–cobalt industry, as well as other base-metal operations and projects in the region, and to better understand the various facets of minerals processing and extraction in this part of the world.

Hosted by the Metallurgy Technical Programme Committee of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM), this conference aims to:

• Promote dialogue between operators, vendors and service providers on common metallurgical challenges facing the industry;
• Enhance understanding of new and existing technologies that can lead to safe and optimal resource utilization;
• Encourage participation and build capacity amongst young and emerging professionals from the Copper Belt region.

The Organizing Committee looks forward to your participation.