Zambia’s economy is largely dependent on copper production – estimated at roughly 790,000 tons per year – and centered around the country’s mineral-rich Copperbelt Province.
Projections foresee an increase in production to 1 million tons by 2026, owing to new investment aimed at increasing production capacity.
Holding over a tenth of global copper deposits, the Copperbelt region reinforces Zambia’s status as the world’s eighth-largest copper producer and fuels the nation’s economic growth and employment, contributing about 80% of export revenues and employing over 60,000 people.
Sentinel Copper Mine
Sentinel Copper Mine, situated in Zambia’s North-Western Province, is one of Africa’s largest copper mines with a production capacity of 59.5 million metric tons per annum (mtpa) of Run-of-Mine (ROM) ore.
Owned by First Quantum Minerals subsidiary, Kalumbila Minerals, the mine holds estimated reserves of 811 million tons of ore grading at 0.5% copper and operates as an open-pit mine, where ore is then processed at a nearby plant.
The mine’s infrastructure includes a 34-km sealed road, power transmission lines and water supply sourced from the Chisola Dam.
Scheduled to operate through 2035, Sentinel Copper Mine is a cornerstone of Zambia’s copper industry.
Kansanshi Mine
Located in Zambia’s North-Western Province, Kansanshi Copper Mine operates as an open-pit venture, jointly owned by First Quantum Minerals and Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) Investment.
Recognized as one of Africa’s largest copper mines by production, Kansanshi boasts estimated reserves of 845 million tons of ore grading at 0.66% copper.
First Quantum Minerals greenlit a project expansion in May 2022, including the construction of a 25-million-ton-per-year processing plant, aiming to increase the mine’s annual throughput to 53 million tons.
Lumwana Copper Mine
Owned by Barrick Gold, Lumwana Copper Mine in North-Western Province functions as an open-pit copper mine, with operations scheduled to continue through 2049.
The mine’s strategic location and operational efficiency play a vital role in sustaining Zambia’s copper output.
As the third-largest mine in the region, Lumwana Copper Mine features a ROM production estimate of 30.5 million mtpa.
Muliashi Project
Located in the Copperbelt region, the Muliashi Project is an open-pit copper mine operated by a joint venture between China Nonferrous Mining Corporation (CNMC) and ZCCM Investment.
As the fourth-largest mine in the area, the Muliashi Project boasts a ROM production of 4.3 million mtpa and is scheduled to operate through 2026.
Konkola Copper Mine
Located approximately 26 km north of Chingola, the Konkola Mine is a flagship copper project in Zambia with inferred reserves of 265.6 million tons of copper grading 3.36%.
Owned by Vedanta Resources and ZCCM Investment, it operates both underground and open-pit mines and metallurgical plants. S
ince Vedanta’s acquisition in 2004, over $3 billion has been invested in upgrading equipment and expanding its capacity, extending the mine’s lifespan by over 50 years.
Lubambe Mine
Operating in the Copperbelt Province, Lubambe Mine is owned by EMR Capital Group and ZCCM Investment.
The mine, which began operations in 2012, is located approximately 468 km north of Lusaka. Spanning a lease area of around 228 km2, Lubambe Copper Mine features an existing underground mine with two distinct limbs (the East and South Limbs) and a processing plant capable of handling up to 2.4 million tons annually.
The mine employs the room and pillar mining method, where rooms are excavated while leaving behind pillars of the ore to support the roof.
Mopani Mine
Mopani Mine, owned by ZCCM Investment, utilizes both open-cast methods – which extracts minerals near the surface by removing overlying material – and stoping methods, which entails underground techniques to create openings or stops within the ore body for mineral extraction.
The mine is expected to increase production to 200,000 tons of copper over three years. Last December, Abu Dhabi’s International Resources Holding announced a $1.1-billion investment in Mopani Copper Mines – securing a 51% stake – with investment directed in part to expanding production and providing working capital.
