La Compagnie de Traitement des Rejets de Kingamyambo SA (Metalkol SA), a subsidiary of Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), announced that its site was recently awarded the Copper Mark, making it the first tailings processing operator in history to achieve this rating.
This award confirms that Metalkol’s operations meet internationally recognized environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards for responsible copper production. Metalkol, one of the world’s largest single cobalt suppliers, also produces this important mineral under the same standards.
Copper Mark is a leading voluntary third-party assurance framework that verifies responsible production practices across the copper, molybdenum, nickel and zinc industries. It provides external verification of the site’s performance and complies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, ILO Conventions, Global Industry Standards for Tailings Management (GISTM), OECD Minerals Guidance and ICMM Principles.
Metalkol SA, located in the Lualaba Department of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), is a leading copper and cobalt producer specializing in the processing of historic mine tailings. Its operations support the sustainable recovery of minerals from the Musonoi River Basin and Kingayambo, contributing to progressive environmental restoration and the economic and social development of local communities.
The framework evaluated Metalkol against 33 ESG criteria, including but not limited to:
Environmental management, including climate risk mitigation and tailings management. Governance, business integrity and transparency. human rights, health and safety, labor practices, and working conditions. Transparent engagement with stakeholders, including communities.
This outcome forms part of a continuous performance improvement cycle with regular reassessments. It is valid for three years, but requires regular performance monitoring to ensure continued progress.
“This is the first tailings processing operation to receive The Copper Mark.Metalkol’s performance highlights how our assurance framework can be successfully applied to diverse sites across the value chain,” said Michel Brühlhart, executive director of Copper Mark.
Davron Vakhabov, CEO of ERG Africa, said: “Achieving the Bronze Mark at Metalkol reflects our commitment to responsible and transparent business operations.ERG For Africa, producing copper and cobalt in accordance with global best practices is based on three key principles: responsibility, traceability and authenticity of origin. This means focusing not only on where the minerals come from, but also on how they are produced. Combined with recognized standards, independent auditing and continuous improvement, these elements are essential to strengthening trust throughout the value chain.”
Leonid Tuzenko, Head of Copper and Cobalt Sales at ERG, added: “Despite the challenging cobalt market conditions in 2024/25, Metalcor’s Coppermark certification demonstrates ERG’s long-term commitment to supporting key customers across the value chain, including global battery manufacturers and electric vehicle manufacturers, by providing them with responsibly and sustainably produced cobalt. The Coppermark also helps with streamlining.” We will conduct ESG-related due diligence on clients in our established copper markets, including China, the Middle East and Europe, while enhancing access to the US market. ”
The article is available online: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/25022026/ergs-metalkol-site-awarded-the-copper-mark/
