KCM Signs US$498 Million Contract for Copper Tailings Recovery Plant, Adding 70,000 t/y of Copper Capacity
Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) has signed a US$498 million EPC contract with China Nerin Engineering for a new Tailings Leach Plant in Chingola, Zambia. The facility will use hydrometallurgical leaching technology to recover copper from existing mine tailings and is designed to add approximately 70,000 tonnes of copper production per year. KCM says it will become Africa's largest facility of its kind once completed. China NERIN will undertake engineering, procurement, construction and installation, as well as provide commissioning, performance-testing and workforce-training support. The new plant will operate alongside KCM's existing tailings-processing facilities at Nchanga and forms part of Vedanta's broader investment programme to increase KCM's copper production toward approximately 300,000 t/y.