Government Hails Mining Sector Revival as Production Surges

The Government says Zambia's mining industry is now operating at full capacity, pointing to rising production, renewed investment and substantial job creation across the sector.

Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development Permanent Secretary Dr Hapenga Kabeta described the turnaround under the current administration as "close to a miracle," coming after years of what he called neglect and underinvestment. Speaking on a podcast, he said the industry had previously been all but ignored, leaving flagship operations such as Mopani Copper Mines and Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) in deep difficulty.

Dr Kabeta said Mopani had been "almost dead" but was now back in production, while KCM, once under provisional liquidation, had also resumed operations. Mopani is today majority-owned by the UAE's International Resources Holding, following its US$1.1 billion acquisition of a 51 percent stake in 2024, while KCM has returned to the control of India's Vedanta Resources.

He revealed that KCM recently posted monthly output of around 10,000 tonnes of copper, a level that, if sustained, would see the mine producing roughly 100,000 tonnes within ten months.

The Permanent Secretary also cited First Quantum Minerals, whose resolution of a long-running dispute with Government has unlocked fresh investment, including a US$1.25 billion S3 expansion at Kansanshi. Barrick Lumwana, meanwhile, is pursuing a US$2 billion Super Pit project. These were real funds already flowing into the country, Dr Kabeta said, generating jobs and business opportunities for Zambians, particularly during the construction phase.