US Backs Zambia’s Copper and Cobalt Expansion to Counter China’s Dominance
USTDA Funds $1.4M Metalex Study to Boost Zambia’s Copper and Cobalt for US Supply Chains
The United States is intensifying efforts to secure critical minerals outside China’s control, backing the expansion of a copper and cobalt facility in Zambia.
On Thursday, the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a $1.4-million grant to Metalex Africa, a subsidiary of Texas-based Metalex Commodities, to finance a feasibility study for expanding its Kazozu mine in Zambia’s North-Western Province.
The study will assess the potential to produce up to 25,000 additional metric tonnes of copper and cobalt concentrates annually.
According to USTDA, the project is designed to link Metalex with American buyers while creating opportunities for US companies to supply equipment, materials, and expertise for the mine’s expansion.
“USTDA’s partnership with Metalex will help ensure that US industries can reliably access the inputs they need to remain secure, competitive, and prepared to meet the challenges of the future,” acting director Thomas R. Hardy said.
“By leveraging US technology and expertise, this project will help expand Zambia’s mining sector, advancing responsible resource development to benefit both our nations.”
Metalex CEO Ayo Sopitan described the grant as a milestone, noting it would help expand resources, define project phases, and confirm the feasibility of scaling up operations. The Kazozu project is a joint venture with Zambian mining firm Terra Metals.
Challenging China’s dominance
The investment aligns with Washington’s broader strategy to build the Lobito Corridor, a US-backed transport and trade network connecting Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Centred on a 1,700-kilometre railway from Angola’s Atlantic port of Lobito to the DRC’s mining hub of Kolwezi—with a planned extension into Zambia’s Copperbelt—the corridor is pitched as a strategic alternative to China’s infrastructure footprint in Africa.
China currently dominates the region’s mining sector, with near-total control over mineral processing and refining capacity. It continues to expand its presence, most recently through JCHX Mining’s purchase of an 80% stake in Zambia’s Lubambe copper mine.
Washington has committed significant resources to counterbalance Beijing’s influence. The US International Development Finance Corporation has pledged about $550 million for railway and port upgrades, while the Millennium Challenge Corporation is funding rural road and agriculture programs in Zambia.
Meanwhile, US-based KoBold Metals—backed by investors including Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos—has committed to making its Mingomba copper and cobalt project an anchor for the Lobito railway.
Together, these initiatives underscore Washington’s push to reduce reliance on China for critical minerals while reinforcing the resilience of US industrial supply chains.
