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Mining industry

TFM Achieves Historic Milestone with The Copper Mark Re-Audit Success

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Tenke Fungurume Mining S.A. ("TFM"), a prominent copper-cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) operated by CMOC Group Ltd. ("CMOC"), has successfully completed The Copper Mark re-audit, achieving "Fully Meet" across all 32 rigorous criteria. This achievement positions TFM as the first mine in Africa to not only be awarded The Copper Mark but also to fully comply with all its stringent responsible production requirements. The Copper Mark is a leading assurance framework globally recognized for its commitment to responsible sourcing and production within the copper, molybdenum, nickel, and zinc value chains.

Key Takeaways:

  • TFM has achieved "Fully Meet" across all 32 rigorous criteria of The Copper Mark re-audit, becoming the first mine in Africa to do so.
  • The re-audit means TFM's copper producers automatically fulfill all three of the London Metal Exchange's (LME) Responsible Sourcing Requirements: Responsible Sourcing, Environmental Management Systems, and Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems.
  • TFM initially passed The Copper Mark audit in early 2024 and successfully completed the re-audit in August 2025, validating its commitment to responsible production.
  • The mine has optimized its operations and management, leading to increased copper output and quality throughout 2025, with an annual copper production capacity of 450,000 tonnes.
  • TFM stands as the world's fifth-largest copper mine and the second-largest cobalt mine, boasting five copper-cobalt production lines.
  • CMOC's strategic investments, including the completion of four new production lines at TFM and the development of another world-class project, KFM, have positioned the company as one of the few global mining leaders sustaining rapid growth in copper production.
  • CMOC entered the world's top ten copper producers in 2024, with a record high of 353,600 tonnes of copper output in the first half of 2025.
  • Liang Wei, Vice President of ESG at CMOC, emphasized the strategic importance of this accomplishment, highlighting the company's unwavering commitment to the highest ESG standards.

Statistics:

  • 32 criteria of the Risk Readiness Assessment v2.0 (RRA 2.0) were utilized in the re-audit, encompassing critical areas including labor relations, environmental management, greenhouse gas emissions, and due diligence in mineral supply chains.
  • 52 mines, 32 smelters and refiners, and 11 metal producers have been awarded The Copper Mark worldwide.
  • The Copper Mark is recognized globally for its commitment to responsible sourcing and production within the copper, molybdenum, nickel, and zinc value chains.
  • CMOC's copper output reached a record high of 353,600 tonnes in the first half of 2025.
  • TFM has an annual copper production capacity of 450,000 tonnes.

Sources:

  • Tenke Fungurume Mining S.A. press release
  • The Copper Mark audit report
  • CMOC Group Ltd. press release
  • AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com) news article.

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