The site contains some of the highest grade copper ore of any mine in the world.

[2][3] It is named after three of the five orebodies which make up the mine: Kamoto-East, Oliveira, and Virgule (the other two being Variante and FNSR).

[4] The mine is run by Kamoto Copper Company, a joint venture between Glencore (75%) and Gécamines (25%).

[5] The deposits began to be exploited in 1960 by Gécamines up until 2000, when operations stopped due to flooding.

[9] In 2019, a second collapse at the mine killed at least 41 artisanal miners working at the site.