By 
Zambia’s copper production recorded modest growth in the first half of 2026, supported by increased output at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), Kansanshi Mine and other major operations, the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development has announced.
Speaking during a media briefing on the mining sector’s performance in Lusaka on Friday, Permanent Secretary, Hapenga Kabeta, said aggregate copper production from both large-scale and small-scale mines rose by 0.45 percent to 447,181.93 tonnes during the first six months of 2026, from 445,176.59 tonnes recorded during the corresponding period last year.
Kabeta said the improvement was largely driven by higher production at Kansanshi, Lumwana, Lubambe, First Quantum Minerals (FQM) operations and KCM.
He said copper production at Kansanshi increased by 2.44 percent compared to the same period in 2025, largely due to the S3 Expansion Project, which sustained processing throughput above design capacity and achieved its highest processed tonnage in May this year.
Read more: Zambia launches mine closure guidelines to strengthen responsible mining
“The strong performance was supported by increased operating time, improved plant utilisation and higher milling rates,” Kabeta said.
He added that KCM registered a 21.43 percent increase in copper production, attributing the growth to improved operational performance following recapitalisation, enhanced mine development, increased equipment availability and more consistent plant feed.
However, Kabeta said not all mining operations recorded positive results during the review period.
He noted that production declined at NFCA Mining, Chibuluma Mines and Mopani Copper Mines.
According to Kabeta, the drop in output at Mopani was mainly due to a planned maintenance shutdown at the Mindola Shaft in May, which temporarily disrupted ore hoisting operations.
He said fuel supply constraints and inadequate domestic supplies of sulphuric acid also affected plant-feed availability, contributing to the decline in production.
Despite these challenges, Kabeta said the overall performance of the mining sector remained encouraging, reaffirming its critical role in driving Zambia’s economic transformation agenda and supporting the country’s Vision 2030 objective of attaining prosperous middle-income status.
WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.
Comments