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Zambia Chamber of Mines Chief Executive Officer, Sokwani Chilembo, says the expected listing of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) in some of the world’s deepest capital markets will strengthen Zambia’s position in the global minerals sector.
Chilembo said the recent CopperTech Metals transfer marks an important step toward unlocking large-scale investment into KCM and positioning the Copperbelt more prominently on the world mining map.
“The biggest institutional aggregators and investors of capital will now have both the Nchanga basin as well as the wider legacy and emergent Zambian Copperbelt top of mind among the world’s copper and critical minerals geological provinces,” he said.
Government has set an ambitious target to increase national copper production to three million tonnes by 2031, at a time when global demand for copper is surging.
The United States recently added copper to its official list of “critical minerals,” signalling a growing push for secure supply chains.
Analysts say aligning KCM with a U.S.-origin company positions Zambia to tap into deeper U.S. capital markets, attract new investor interest and respond to heightened demand for reliable sources of critical minerals.
Investment momentum around the Lobito Corridor is also expected to enhance copper trade flows through improved transport efficiency.
The corridor links Zambia to Angola’s port of Lobito and forms a key component of the EU and U.S. “Global Gateway” agenda to expand strategic African transport and value-chain infrastructure.
During the EU-Zambia business forum held from 12–14 November 2025 in Lusaka, ten new funding agreements worth €200 million were signed under the Global Gateway programme, with billions more projected for corridor expansion.
Chilembo said KCM’s Copper Tech announcement “leverages the Lobito corridor infrastructure drive and will no doubt galvanize the Zambian Government’s resolve to steadily build upon the solid gains made thus far in securing the confidence of global markets.”
Since the reinstatement of its operating licence in August 2024, KCM has been repositioning itself to restore public confidence and reclaim its role in national economic development.
The company previously accounted for an estimated 40 percent of Zambia’s copper output.
CopperTech Metals Inc has announced plans to raise US$1.5 billion for KCM’s capital expansion and modernisation, a move expected to significantly boost the mine’s production capacity.
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