Copper Exports Continue to Increase

Reports from the first quarter of 2025 outline that exports of refined copper have increased to 283,500 tonnes, up from 241,000 tonnes in the same period last year.

The 17.6% rise in copper exports year on year tracks to the monthly growth which the country has recently seen, as refined copper export volumes increased by 1.6 percent, from 71,200 tonnes in March 2025 to 72,300 tonnes in April 2025.

As the government makes steps towards achieving their planned 3 million tonnes of copper production per year by 2031, this news is a positive step in the right direction. The goal has been set to contribute to the acceleration and maximisation of benefits for the people of Zambia from the exploitation of copper in the country.

Measures to help reach this goal over the next six years include FQM’s S3 expansion at Kansanshi Copper Mines, which is proposed to come online later this year, as well as Barrick starting construction to expand its Lumwana super pit, doubling the mine’s production to an average of 240,000 tonnes per annum over its lifetime.