KCM Begins $63 Million Excavation for New Pump Station at Konkola Deep Mining Project
Konkola Copper Mines Launches $63M Pump Station Project to Unlock 283 Million Tonnes of Copper Resources
Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Plc has engaged Australian mining contractor Mancala to commence excavation works for the construction of a new pump station at the Konkola Deep Mining Project (KDMP) in Chililabombwe.
The KDMP, home to one of Zambia’s deepest mining shafts at 1,505 meters, sits on one of the world’s richest copper ore bodies with an estimated 291 million tonnes of resource and a projected mine life of over 50 years.
The new pump station project—costing US$63 million and expected to take 26 months to complete—will involve excavations at the 1,350m and 1,390m levels for sumps, settlers, and related infrastructure.
Mancala will also subcontract local companies, creating approximately 200 jobs and enabling skills transfer in advanced and safe excavation and blasting techniques.
KCM Acting Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Mewett said the project is vital to unlocking an additional 283 million tonnes of copper ore resources currently inaccessible due to dewatering limitations.
“The deepest pump station at Konkola is currently at the 985m level, and we cannot safely mine below 1,040m. At present, our dewatered resource accounts for less than 3% of the total Konkola resource.
The new pump station at 1,390m will enable us to dewater and access 283 million tonnes of ore between levels 1,040m and 1,350m,” Mewett explained.
The pump station will be designed to international standards, with a nominal capacity of 290,000m³ per day. It will feature 22 multistage clear water pumps, eight settlers for removing suspended solids to ensure compliance with environmental standards, and eight sumps to provide surge capacity in the event of an emergency.
Andre Trytsman, KCM’s Head of Special Projects, added:
“Once the excavation is complete, we will proceed with equipping the pump station, constructing electrical substations, and upgrading supply infrastructure to the existing pump stations at 985m, 660m, and 370m. Watertight doors and penstocks will also be installed to safeguard against emergencies.”
Unlocking the KDMP is central to KCM’s strategy of reaching 300,000 tonnes of annual copper production by 2031, contributing 10% to Zambia’s national target of 3 million tonnes per year.
About KCM
Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Plc is one of Zambia’s largest copper producers. It is owned by Vedanta Resources (79.4%) and ZCCM-IH (20.6%) and operates mining and processing facilities in Chingola, Chililabombwe, Kitwe, and Nampundwe. Vedanta has pledged over US$1 billion in new investment to revitalize KCM’s operations, with the KDMP as a flagship growth project targeting 300,000 tonnes of copper output annually by 2030.
