ZCCM-IH Approves US$498 Million Nchanga Tailings Plant

Ms. MBATHA said KCM’s equity contribution would be financed from internally generated resources, while the project falls outside Vedanta Resources’ initial one-billion-US-dollar investment programme for KCM.

She said the Tailings Leach Plant would process an estimated 546 million tonnes of historical tailings from the TD5 dam at Nchanga, containing an average copper grade of 0.54 percent.

Ms. MBATHA said once fully operational, the plant is expected to produce approximately 70,000 tonnes of LME Grade A copper cathode annually.

She said the facility is expected to be the largest tailings leach plant in Africa using the latest technology and will process about 53,500 tonnes of tailings per day.

Ms. MBATHA explained that the project would use solvent extraction and electrowinning technology, with studies indicating a commercial copper recovery rate of about 74 percent.

She said construction is expected to take 24 months, with China NERIN Engineering Company Limited contracted to deliver the facility on a turnkey basis, including commissioning, performance testing and training.

Meanwhile, ZCCM-IH Chief Executive Officer KAKENENWA MUYANGWA said the project would allow Zambia to recover more copper from existing resources without the need for new mining.

Mr. MUYANGWA said the project would also support Zambia’s target of producing three million tonnes of copper annually by 2031.

He said the development is further expected to contribute to KCM’s ambition of increasing annual copper production to 300,000 tonnes, while generating additional export earnings for Zambia.