KCM Reopens Chingola B Mine After 18-Year Closure

Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) has officially reopened the Chingola B Mine, marking a significant return to operations 18 years after the site was paused. The reopening ceremony, led by KCM Group Chief Executive Officer Deshnee Naidoo, featured the first blasting of the ore body and signalled fresh momentum across the Nchanga and Konkola mining operations.

According to a statement issued by Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Dr John Kunda, the mine is projected to produce more than 200,000 tonnes of ore per month. Naidoo said the development represented far more than a single milestone, framing it as evidence of the company's broader transformation and its ambition to become one of Zambia's leading copper producers for decades to come.

KCM Acting Chief Operating Officer Praveen Sharma said the reopening underlined the company's commitment to Zambia's national target of producing three million tonnes of copper annually by 2031, with Vedanta Resources aiming to contribute 300,000 tonnes toward that goal. The Chingola B ore body previously produced around 60,000 tonnes of ore per month between 1980 and 2003 at an average copper grade of 2.5 per cent. KCM has partnered with Teincomin to revive operations using safer, more modern and efficient mining methods.

Sharma emphasised that safety remained the company's top priority, insisting no copper would be produced until safety was fully assured. Nchanga Operations Director Cross Silwamba called the reopening a historic moment for the workforce.