KCM Signs US$498 Million China NERIN Deal for 70,000-Tonne Copper Plant
China NERIN to Build US$498M Copper Recovery Plant for KCM in Zambia
Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) has signed a US$498 million contract with China NERIN Engineering Technology Corporation Limited to develop a new Tailings Leach Plant (TLP) at its operations in Chingola, Zambia.
The plant will have the capacity to recover approximately 70,000 tonnes of copper per year from existing mine tailings, allowing KCM to extract additional value from material generated through previous mining and processing activities.
The project forms part of KCM’s broader expansion programme aimed at increasing copper production, improving resource recovery and strengthening the company’s contribution to Zambia’s mining sector.
China NERIN will undertake the engineering, procurement and construction of the facility, including equipment installation.
The company will also provide technical support during commissioning, performance guarantee testing and workforce training.
The new facility will complement KCM’s existing Tailings Leach Plant at Nchanga and increase the company’s capacity to recover copper from its existing resources and processing infrastructure.
KCM Deputy Chief Executive Officer Satish Kumar said the project would support the company’s growth strategy and contribute to Zambia’s ambition of increasing annual copper production to three million tonnes.
The investment is also expected to create employment during construction and operations while generating opportunities for local suppliers, contractors and other businesses across the mining value chain.
The project is part of Vedanta Resources’ wider investment programme at KCM, which includes more than US$1 billion in planned investment across the company’s operations.
Other major investments include the Konkola Deep Mining Project (KDMP), which is expected to support KCM’s longer-term production growth.
KCM is targeting annual copper production of 300,000 tonnes by 2030 as it advances its expansion and development projects.
The US$498 million Tailings Leach Plant comes as Zambia works to increase copper production and strengthen the country’s position as a major global copper producer.
