DRC-based Katanga was the only one of Glencore's three African copper operations to improve copper production, but it suffered from safety and financial challenges. Courtesy of Glencore.

Glencore announced on Wednesday that it would be placing its Congolese Mutanda copper-cobalt mine under care and maintenance by the end of the year in the midst of a significant slowdown at the company’s African copper and cobalt operations in the first half of 2019.

According to Glencore’s second quarter results, the company’s African copper business “did not meet expected operational performance.” Two of the mines, Mutanda and Zambia-based Mopani, saw copper production drop 47 per cent (53.7 tonnes compared to 101.9 tonnes) and 31 per cent (20.4  tonnes down from 29.4 tonnes) respectively compared to the first half of 2018.