Glencore PLC's Congo-based unit, Kamoto Copper Co. SARL, is ramping up to full production and the company is evaluating the potential restart of the Mutanda copper mine, Reuters reported Sept. 22, citing Mark Davis, Glencore's head of Africa copper.

Glencore owns 75% of Kamoto Copper through its Katanga Mining Ltd. subsidiary and outlined plans in April to take the Katanga subsidiary private. Congo's state-owned Gécamines SA owns the remaining 25% of Kamoto.

Davis said the Kamoto operation is expected to produce 270,000 tonnes of copper cathode and 25,000 tonnes of cobalt hydroxide in 2020. The mine has been increasing output since it started production in 2007.

Glencore is also weighing restart options for Mutanda, which the company shut down in November 2019 due to low cobalt prices, rising costs and higher taxes.

Davis made the remarks after a meeting with Congo Prime Minister Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba, according to Reuters. The government recently said it would reimburse value-added tax payments owed to mining companies, and the industry has estimated the reimbursements would exceed US$1 billion.