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Barrick Lumwana Mine, a subsidiary of Barrick Gold Corporation, says the Super Pit Expansion Project is progressing well.
The US$2 billion copper expansion project is positioning Lumwana to become a long-life Tier One copper mine capable of producing approximately 240,000 tonnes of copper annually over a mine life exceeding 30 years.
Currently, Lumwana sits on 152,000 tonnes of copper annually but once completed will see production increase to production reaching 250,000 tonnes per year.
Country Manager Anthony Malenga said this represented one of the most significant copper growth projects globally and a transformational investment for both Barrick and Zambia.
“Importantly, the project remains on track and construction activities continue to advance well,” he said in Kitwe during the ongoing Copperbelt Agricultural, Mining and Networking Enterprise (CAMINEX) on Wednesday.
Malenga commended government for the continued efforts being made to strengthen Zambia’s investment climate and support long-term growth within the mining sector.
He mentioned that measures such as the restoration of mineral royalty deductibility, duty exemptions on mining equipment and ongoing reforms within the mining sector had materially strengthened investor confidence and reinforced Zambia’s position as a globally competitive mining destination.
“Government’s ongoing efforts to address Zambia’s energy challenges and strengthen long-term power security. The accelerated push toward new power generation projects, particularly within the solar sector, alongside broader investments in generation and transmission infrastructure, demonstrates a clear commitment toward supporting Zambia’s future industrial growth,” he said.
From the global front, he said copper now sat at the centre of the global energy transition – underpinning electrification, renewable energy infrastructure, battery storage systems and industrial growth worldwide.
“Zambia is uniquely positioned to benefit from this opportunity and Lumwana is proud to be part of that journey,” he said.
He stated that as an industry, Lumwana recognized that energy security was fundamental to Zambia’s mining ambitions.
In support of these broader national objectives, Malenga said Lumwana was advancing strategic infrastructure investments including the proposed 330 kilovolt transmission line from Kalumbila to Luano in partnership with ZESCO.
“This project will not only support the Lumwana Expansion Project, but will also contribute toward strengthening grid reliability and unlocking future mining and industrial growth within the North-Western corridor,” he noted.
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