KCM signs $498 million deal with Chinese firm for copper recovery plant
2026-09-18 10:17:36 [Print]
Vedanta's Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) has signed a $498 million agreement with China's NERIN Engineering to build a copper recovery plant that will add 70,000 metric tons of annual output by extracting metal from existing mine tailings.
The facility, to be constructed at KCM's operations in Chingola, a town in Zambia's Copperbelt region, will employ leaching technology to process mine waste and is expected to become the largest plant of its kind in Africa, the company said in a statement on Thursday.
The investment forms part of KCM's expansion plans and supports Zambia's ambition to raise annual copper output to 3 million metric tons by 2031, up from 890,346 metric tons in 2025.
Under the agreement, China NERIN will provide engineering, procurement and construction services, along with support for commissioning, performance testing and training, KCM said.
The facility, to be constructed at KCM's operations in Chingola, a town in Zambia's Copperbelt region, will employ leaching technology to process mine waste and is expected to become the largest plant of its kind in Africa, the company said in a statement on Thursday.
The investment forms part of KCM's expansion plans and supports Zambia's ambition to raise annual copper output to 3 million metric tons by 2031, up from 890,346 metric tons in 2025.
Under the agreement, China NERIN will provide engineering, procurement and construction services, along with support for commissioning, performance testing and training, KCM said.
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