Zambian Firm Ramps Up Copper Production

Metals and mining company Vedanta Resources plc, London, has announced plans to invest $1.5 billion in Zambia's largest metals and mining company, Konkola Copper Mines plc (KCM)., Chingola, Zambia.

According to a report from Industrial Info Resources, Sugar Land, Texas, the investment is targeted toward increasing KCM’s copper cathode production capacity to 500,000 tons per year by 2013.

Citing increased copper prices, Vedanta says it intends to ramp up KCM’s production capacity by removing what it calls hurdles that have been faced by its mining operations. In 2004, Vedanta acquired a majority stake in KCM, which now has a production capacity of 200,000 tons per year of copper cathodes, according to IIR.

KCM operates three open-pit mines and two underground mines, and produces 2.2 million tons per year of copper ore. However, to meet the new copper cathode capacity, the mines would have to ramp up their mining capacity to 7.5 million tons per year of ore. A KCM manager has told IIR that the higher target can be achieved by accessing copper ore that lies below the current mining site.