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Zambia’s mining industry has committed more than US$2.5 million towards hosting the 2026 International Mine Rescue Competition (IMRC), a major global safety event expected to bring together mine rescue teams from across the world.
Kansanshi Mining PLC and Mopani Copper Mines will co-host the competition scheduled for April. Activities will be held at Kansanshi Mine in Solwezi and the Mopani Central Training Centre (MCTC) in Mufulira on the Copperbelt.
The competition is expected to attract teams from more than ten countries, including Australia, Colombia, the United States, China and Ivory Coast.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Kansanshi Mining PLC Corporate Affairs Specialist, Clinton Masumba, the event would feature 23 international teams, among them four Zambian teams.
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The local teams will represent Konkola Copper Mines, Mopani Copper Mines, NFCA Mining Chambishi and Lubambe Copper Mine.
“Each team will consist of between 10 and 12 members, bringing the total number of competitors to over 240 participants,” Masumba said.
He added that the competition would also attract international observers as well as judges who would assess the teams’ performance based on internationally recognised rescue and safety standards.
Zambia Chamber of Mines Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Talent Ng’andwe, said preparations for the global event were well underway, with the Chamber and the host mining companies jointly investing more than US$2.5 million to ensure its success.
Ng’andwe described the competition as an important platform for strengthening safety standards, mine rescue capabilities and occupational health in the mining sector.
To ensure the event meets global standards, the Chamber has conducted benchmarking visits to countries that previously hosted the competition.
He also noted that participation by large open-pit operations such as Kansanshi reflected the mining industry’s growing focus on strengthening emergency preparedness across different types of mining operations.
Kansanshi Mining PLC Emergency Response Superintendent, Christopher Hale, said preparations for the competition have been underway for the past two years.
Hale explained that new infrastructure and specialised training facilities had been developed to allow teams to undertake complex simulated rescue scenarios designed to test technical skills, teamwork and decision-making under pressure.
First Quantum Minerals Group Safety Manager, Eric Cousins, said the competition helped ensure rescue teams remained highly trained and ready to respond to emergencies.
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