Kansanshi Mine Announces Expansion Project to Significantly Increase Copper Production

Kansanshi Mining PLC has announced its upcoming S3 expansion project that is set to significantly increase copper production at the mine.

Anthony Mukutuma, General Manager at Kansanshi Mine, has said the expansion will nearly double annual copper production from its current output of 150,000 tonnes to 280,000 tonnes by 2026.

According to Mukutuma, a key factor in the projected increase in output will be the construction of a new copper processing plant, which is estimated to cost in the region of $900 million.

Kansanshi is a large copper and gold mine in Solwezi in North-Western Province. As one of the largest copper reserves in Zambia with estimated reserves of 727 million tonnes of ore, this expansion project will bolster employment in the region and aid its economic development.

First Quantum Minerals (FQM) owns the majority (80%) of Kansanshi, with ZCCM Investment Holdings in ownership of the rest.

The Kansanshi team was recently recognised at the 2023 Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) awards in Lusaka. The team were recognised for “their exceptional dedication to environmental management practices in the mining industry”.

Photo: First Quantum Minerals