By 
Zambia’s ambitious target to increase copper production to three million tonnes by 2030 is a prime example of leveraging strategic global partnerships, according to the organisers of the upcoming Critical Minerals Africa (CMA) 2024 summit.
In a statement issued on Friday from South Africa, the organisers highlighted Zambia’s efforts to maximize its copper value chain through collaborations with international firms such as Galileo Resources, Tertiary Minerals, Vedanta Resources, Jubilee Metals, KoBold Metals, and Xtract Resources.
The statement noted that in July 2024, Ivanhoe Mines resumed production at the Mopani Mine after 30 years of maintenance, contributing an additional 140,000 tonnes of copper and zinc concentrate to Zambia’s annual output.
Beyond Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other countries including Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mauritania, Namibia and Morocco are also reportedly advancing their mining projects.
In the DRC, which is the world’s third-largest copper producer, Ivanhoe Mines is reported to have commissioned the Phase Three concentrator at the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex, set to increase the mine’s and the country’s annual copper output by 150,000 tonnes.
Additionally, Ivanhoe Mines claims to have restarted production at the high-grade Kipushi zinc-copper mine, boosting the DRC’s copper output by 140,000 tonnes.
Chinese miner CMOC, on the other hand, is reportedly investing US$2.5 billion in a third-phase expansion at the Tenke Fungurume and Kinsafu Mines, aiming to double copper production in the DRC over the next four years.
Swiss company Glencore is also reported to be enhancing exploration and production at its KTO Copper and Cobalt Mine near Kolwezi, targeting a production increase to 300,000 tonnes per annum.
WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.
Comments