The groundbreaking ceremony for the KIK 40,000-ton copper mining, beneficiation, and smelting construction project was held in Kolwezi, DRC.

On April 6, 2025, KINGA KIKA Mining (abbreviated as the KIK Project), a Congolese subsidiary invested in by Shanghai Jayson New Energy Material Group Co., Ltd., held a brief yet grand groundbreaking ceremony in Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), marking the official commencement of the project.

The KIK Project is an integrated mining, beneficiation, and smelting complex. Its Phase I is designed to achieve an annual production capacity of 40,000 tons of cathode copper, with trial operations scheduled to begin by the end of June 2026. Attendees at the ceremony included:

Lin Qujian, Vice President of the company;

Kitenge Kabaswanganyi Jean-Paul, Minister of Cooperation and representative of Gécamines;

Li Yaolin, Deputy General Manager of Excellen Mining;

Jiang Jinghui, General Manager of the KIK Project;

Chen Peng, General Manager of construction contractor Wuhuang Company;

Distinguished guests from Jingtian Gongcheng (law firm) and other institutions.

During his address at the groundbreaking ceremony, Mr. Lin Qujian, Vice President of the company, expressed sincere gratitude to La Générale des Carrières et des Mines (Gécamines), the national mining corporation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), for its support of the KIK Project. He emphasized that this collaboration not only underscores the strong partnership between the two parties but also provides a solid foundation for the project’s smooth advancement, propelling it into the fast lane of commercial development.As the third major smelting facility invested in and constructed by Shanghai Jayson New Energy Material Group Co., Ltd. in the DRC, the Phase I smelter of the KIK Project embodies the Group’s unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality engineering excellence. By leveraging a world-class team of industry experts and premium partners, the Group has implemented meticulous planning and scientific management practices, striving to establish the KIK Project as a benchmark initiative that integrates technical excellence, community trust, and mutually beneficial outcomes. This endeavor aims to inject new momentum into local socioeconomic development and further strengthen the friendly cooperation between China and the DRC.

In his speech at the ceremony, Mr. Kitenge Kabaswanganyi Jean-Paul, Minister of Cooperation and representative of Gécamines, warmly congratulated the commencement of the KIK Project, emphasizing that the initiative has now entered a critical development phase. He affirmed Gécamines’ steadfast commitment to supporting the project’s advancement, stating that the KIK Project exemplifies Gécamines’ ambition to forge equitable and sustainable partnerships with collaborators, while striking an optimal balance between national resource sovereignty and investment security.

In his address, Mr. Jiang Jinghui, President of KIK Company, highlighted that the KIK Project is a collaborative venture between HongKong Excellen Mining Investment CO., LIMITED and Gécamines, marking the first successful application of a product-sharing model in the mining sector of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Phase I of the project is designed to achieve an annual production capacity of 40,000 tons of cathode copper. It is also equipped with ancillary facilities, including sulfuric acid production from sulfur and photovoltaic power generation systems, aiming to establish a comprehensive resource utilization and green energy supply framework.

Furthermore, the project holds significant social value: Upon completion and commissioning, it is expected to directly create over 1,000 local jobs. Concurrently, through systematic skills training programs, it will drive the transformation of traditional mining communities and empower the upgrading of local human resources, thereby holistically supporting the Lualaba Province in transitioning toward a high-quality economic development phase.

In his speech at the ceremony, Mr. Chen Peng, General Manager of construction contractor Wuhuang Company, pledged to uphold the "Iron Army Spirit" by stringently managing quality, safety, and project timelines, ensuring the timely and efficient completion of the KIK Project.