Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) has signed a US$498 million contract with China NERIN Engineering to develop a copper recovery plant at its operations in Chingola, Zambia’s Copperbelt, in a project expected to add about 70,000 tonnes of copper to annual production.
The agreement, signed on September 17, covers the engineering, procurement, construction and installation of a new Tailings Leach Plant (TLP). The facility will use hydrometallurgical, or wet-leaching, technology to recover copper from existing mine tailings — material left over from previous mining and processing activities.
KCM, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources, says the plant is expected to become Africa’s largest facility of its kind. It will operate alongside KCM’s existing tailings-processing infrastructure at its Nchanga operations, allowing the company to extract additional copper from resources already mined.
Under the contract, China NERIN will handle engineering, equipment procurement, construction and erection, as well as commissioning support, performance testing and workforce training. However, the agreement is not yet fully effective and remains subject to conditions including an advance payment to the Chinese contractor.
China NERIN Chairman and President Wu Runhua said the company was committed to delivering the project.
“China Nerin is pleased to partner with KCM on this important project. With our decades of service advantages in the global mining and metallurgical sectors and extensive experience in executing overseas large-scale project, China Nerin will make every effort to ensure efficient construction, smooth commissioning and stable operation of the Project,” he said.
KCM Deputy Chief Executive Officer Satish Kumar said the investment fits into Zambia’s wider ambition to expand copper production.
“KCM is proud to contribute to Zambia’s national vision of producing 3 million tons of copper annually. With Vedanta’s renewed investment and commitment, and the rich engineering implementation capabilities of our partner China NERIN, this project marks a major milestone in our growth journey and empowers green and sustainable development for Zambia’s mining industry and local economy,” Kumar said.
In a separate statement reported by other industry sources, Kumar said the project would also create value from material already held by the company. “By deploying advanced technology to recover copper from tailings, we are unlocking new value, strengthening production and driving sustainable economic development for Zambia,” he said.
The investment forms part of KCM’s broader expansion programme, with the company targeting production of about 300,000 tonnes of copper annually. Vedanta has pledged more than US$1 billion towards KCM’s expansion, including the Konkola Deep Mining Project.
The project also comes as Zambia seeks to raise national copper output from 890,346 tonnes in 2025 to three million tonnes a year by 2031. Copper demand is expected to remain significant because of its use in electricity grids, renewable-energy infrastructure, data centres and electric vehicles.
KCM is 79.4% owned by Vedanta Resources, while state-owned ZCCM Investments Holdings holds the remaining 20.6%. The company has not yet disclosed a construction timetable or commissioning date for the new plant.
