Ivanhoe Mines has announced a 30% expansion of the Ivanhoe Makoko copper discovery at its Western Forelands project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The updated resource estimate raises the contained copper at Makoko to approximately 12 million tonnes, reinforcing the project’s standing as a major copper discovery DRC asset. The Ivanhoe Makoko copper discovery continues to grow as ongoing drilling reveals additional mineralisation across the district.
The Makoko District, which forms part of the broader Western Forelands copper project, now includes 34 million tonnes of indicated resources grading 2.66% copper and 612 million tonnes of inferred resources grading 1.80% copper. At the wider Western Forelands level, indicated resources stand at 42 million tonnes at 2.66% copper, alongside 612 million tonnes of inferred resources at 1.80% copper. The distinction between the Makoko resource update and the overall Western Forelands copper resource is important, as the two represent different scopes within the same exploration area.
Drilling Progress and Unincorporated Results
The updated estimate follows an extensive drilling campaign at the project. However, approximately 60,000 metres of drilling completed during 2026 were not included in the latest resource calculation. This means the current figures do not yet reflect all available data, and further copper drilling expansion across the property could contribute to additional resource growth in future updates.
Mineralisation at Makoko remains open in several directions, which suggests that the deposit’s full extent has not yet been delineated. Ivanhoe plans to continue drilling as it evaluates the project further, with results from the unincorporated metres expected to inform subsequent resource estimates.
Planned Development Steps and Project Outlook
Ivanhoe plans to begin a scoping study for Makoko in the first quarter of 2027. The company is assessing potential development options that include a combination of shallow open pits and underground copper mining Congo operations. Site preparation activities, including fencing, road construction, and environmental baseline work, have already started at the project.
The company expects to draw on its operational experience from the nearby Kamoa-Kakula copper complex, which it developed alongside partners in the region. That experience with large-scale copper mining Congo operations could support the evaluation of how Makoko might be brought forward efficiently.
The Western Forelands copper project benefits from its proximity to existing infrastructure and technical expertise established during the development of Kamoa-Kakula. Ivanhoe has indicated that further resource growth will be evaluated through additional drilling, though no production timeline, capital cost estimate, or mine life has been confirmed at this stage.
The Makoko resource update positions the deposit as a substantial copper discovery DRC asset within Ivanhoe’s portfolio. With the scoping study planned and drilling set to continue, the project remains in its evaluation phase as the company works to define the full potential of the Western Forelands copper district. The copper drilling expansion programme is expected to provide further clarity on the scale and development path for Makoko in the months ahead.