On April 30 (Wednesday), Zambian Minister of Mines Paul Kabuswe stated that the country's copper production in the first quarter of this year increased by 30% YoY, reaching approximately 224,000 mt, compared to around 173,000 mt in the same period last year.
In a statement, Kabuswe noted that the overall production growth was driven by increased output from two major companies—Konkola Copper Mines and Mopani Copper Mines.
Zambia announced in January that its copper production grew by 12% in 2024, boosted by a recovery in output from major mines. The government is also counting on the sector to drive economic growth.
Authorities stated that despite severe drought affecting hydropower generation and leading to power shortages, copper production has increased.
Zambia is the second-largest copper producer in Africa, after the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The government is aiming to increase annual copper production to 3 million mt in about a decade.
