Mopani's Mufulira Mine Resumes Operations After Safety Suspension Lifted

The Minerals Regulation Commission (MRC) has lifted the suspension on underground operations at Mopani Copper Mines' Mufulira mine after the company implemented enhanced safety measures to comply with mining regulations.

The regulator had ordered a halt to underground activities at the Copperbelt mine on approximately 10th February after Mopani was found to have failed to maintain an adequate system for tracking and accounting for all workers underground — a requirement under Mining Regulation 218.

The suspension lasted roughly seven days, with the MRC confirming on Monday that the mine could resume operations immediately following verification that the required safety systems were now fully functional.

Among the measures put in place by Mopani are a biometric shift clearance system that automatically verifies when workers have exited the mine, closed-circuit television cameras monitoring underground access points, and technology that ensures the mine is confirmed clear within two hours of every shift ending.

The MRC said the new systems met the requirements of Mining Regulation 218, which mandates that mining companies maintain accurate, real-time systems for accounting for all underground personnel.

Mopani Copper Mines is one of Zambia's largest copper producers. The company is 51 percent owned by UAE-based International Resources Holding, which acquired its majority stake in a $1.1 billion deal in 2024, with the remaining 49 percent held by state mining investment vehicle ZCCM Investments Holdings.

The company has announced plans to expand production at its operations from around 70,000 metric tonnes of copper per year to 200,000 metric tonnes, backed by an estimated $300 million investment that includes upgrades to safety and compliance infrastructure.

Zambia produced approximately 890,000 metric tonnes of copper in 2025, an increase of eight percent on the previous year. The government is targeting output of three million tonnes annually by 2031 as part of the national copper strategy under President Hakainde Hichilema.

The swift resolution of the Mufulira suspension has been viewed as a demonstration of the MRC's capacity to enforce safety standards effectively while minimising disruption to production — a balance that will become increasingly important as the country scales up mining activity to meet its ambitious targets.

Mining sector analysts say the episode also sends a reassuring signal to international investors that Zambia's regulatory framework applies consistently regardless of ownership structure, with enforcement focused on safety outcomes rather than punitive measures.