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Zambia’s copper production increased by 1.5 percent to 683,003.37 metric tonnes between January and September 2026, as Government pursues its target of producing three million tonnes annually by 2031.
Mines and Minerals Development Minister, Brenda Tambatamba, told Parliament on Wednesday that copper output had risen from 672,908.27 metric tonnes recorded during the same period in 2025.
In a ministerial statement, Tambatamba said growth had also been recorded in other mineral commodities, with nickel production increasing by 143 percent and emerald production by 62 percent.
She said output had also increased in coal, cement, lime and silver, while zinc production rose by 30 percent, cobalt by 18 percent and gold by 11 percent.
“Government remains committed to developing a mining sector that is productive, competitive and sustainable,” Tambatamba said.
She described mining as a strategic pillar of Zambia’s economy, supporting employment, export earnings and national development.
Tambatamba said the Minerals Regulation Commission had granted 1,060 mining licences since becoming operational in 2025.
She added that the Mining Appeals Tribunal had handled 39 cases, while 76 mining companies were participating in the Local Content Programme and 847 local companies were enrolled in the Supplier Development Programme.
“Government remains firmly committed to attaining the national target of producing three million metric tonnes of copper annually by 2031,” she said.
Tambatamba said the countrywide aerial geophysical survey had reached 98 percent completion by October 2026, while at least eight companies were undertaking advanced greenfield exploration.
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“Government is also committed to broadening participation through the formalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining,” she said.
She claimed that more than 2,000 miners from over 900 cooperatives in Solwezi, Kasempa, Mpika, Choma and Kabwe had been trained in responsible mining, safety, environmental management and financial literacy.
The Minister said about US$12.1 billion had been committed to major mining projects since 2021, including Mopani, Konkola, Kansanshi, Lumwana, Lubambe, Luanshya, Mingomba and Enterprise Nickel Mine.
“Our objective is to move beyond the extraction and export of raw minerals,” Tambatamba said.
She said the Ministry was formulating Critical Minerals Regulations, while Government had developed a National Critical Skills List to prepare Zambians for emerging opportunities in the mining sector.
Tambatamba said the success of the mining industry would not be measured by production figures alone, but also by the jobs created, businesses grown and livelihoods improved in mining communities.
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