Zambia’s Major Copper Smelters Face Extended Shutdowns, Raising Supply Concerns
Extended Mopani and Chambishi Smelter Maintenance to Tighten Copper Output and Sulphuric Acid Supply in Zambia
Two of Zambia’s largest copper smelters and sulphuric acid producers are expected to shut down for extended maintenance later this year, according to industry sources.
The planned outages are likely to further constrain copper production and reduce supplies of sulphuric acid, a critical chemical used in processing copper and cobalt.
The ongoing conflict involving Iran has already disrupted global supplies of sulphuric acid and other leaching chemicals.
As a result, mining companies in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo the world’s leading cobalt producer and second-largest copper producer have been forced to reduce chemical usage or consider cutting output.
Copper smelters in Zambia, Africa’s second-largest copper producer, generate roughly 2 million metric tons of sulphuric acid annually, primarily as a byproduct.
Most of this acid is used domestically by mining operations, while surplus volumes are typically exported to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to the Ministry of Mines.
However, sulphuric acid inventories in Zambia have fallen to critically low levels. Industry officials say the country currently has virtually no capacity to export the chemical, as domestic demand remains high and regional supply chains tighten.
The Ministry of Mines did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Mopani’s Overdue Maintenance
Copper smelters usually undergo routine annual maintenance lasting about 30 days. This year, however, both Mopani Copper Mines and Chambishi Copper Smelter are expected to experience significantly longer shutdown periods.
Mopani, whose facilities have reportedly gone without major maintenance for some time, is scheduled to shut down briefly for three days in June.
This will be followed by a more extensive shutdown lasting approximately 40 to 45 days between August and mid-September, according to industry sources.
Officials from both companies declined to comment publicly on the maintenance schedules. Sources requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the matter.
Meanwhile, Chambishi Copper Smelter is expected to suspend operations for approximately two months beginning in August, although the specific reasons for the extended outage were not disclosed.
Earlier this month, Zambia tightened controls on sulphuric acid exports, requiring traders to obtain permits before shipping the chemical abroad.
Authorities stated that the policy was designed to protect domestic mining operations.
Industry representatives have indicated that the restrictions are reasonable under current conditions but noted that exports are unlikely to resume in the near term.
Global Copper Supply Expected to Tighten
Global copper supply is projected to tighten further this year following years of underinvestment that have constrained mine output growth.
Zambia produced 890,346 metric tons of copper last year, falling short of its national target of 1 million tons.
Copper exports from the Democratic Republic of the Congo also declined during the first quarter of this year, according to shipping data.
Production challenges persist at Mopani Copper Mines, which is operating well below its 225,000-metric-ton finished copper capacity after years of underinvestment left the operation short of copper concentrate.
The majority shareholder is currently developing new mining areas while continuing production. This simultaneous development and extraction strategy has resulted in intermittent operational stoppages, further constraining output.
