Zambian Court Adds State Miner to Lawsuit Over Mopani Copper Sale
A Zambian court has added the state-owned mining company, ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc, to a lawsuit filed by an opposition lawmaker challenging the recent sale of Mopani Copper Mines.
According to a regulatory statement issued Thursday, ZCCM was joined to the case on June 20, 2025. The case centers on a transaction finalized in 2024, which transferred control of Mopani to a new investor.
Miles Sampa, a former Deputy Minister of Commerce and current opposition Member of Parliament, argues that the sale constitutes the disposal of a major state asset.
He contends that such a move required prior approval from Parliament and is therefore unconstitutional. Sampa is petitioning the court to declare the transaction null and void.
ZCCM originally acquired Mopani from Swiss commodities firm Glencore in 2021 through a $1.5 billion debt-financed deal. Since then, the company has been actively seeking a new investor to revitalize operations.
The new buyer is expected to boost Mopani’s annual copper production to approximately 200,000 metric tons by 2027.
