SHFE Market Movement (2017-05-18）

Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) has restarted operations at its Nchanga Smelter in Zambia following the completion of a US$40 million rehabilitation programme, marking the facility's first major refurbishment in more than eight years.​ The smelter, which has an annual production capacity of 311,000 mt, was shut down for 106 days to allow comprehensive rehabilitation works to be carried out. The shutdown was initially planned to last 60 days but was extended after inspections identified additional critical works that needed to be completed.​ KCM Deputy Chief Executive Officer Satish Kumar said the rehabilitation forms part of efforts to rebuild the company and secure the long-term future of its operations following Vedanta Resources' return to KCM.​ According to KCM Smelter and Refinery Director Yoram Kapai, more than 1,500 people from KCM and its business partners participated in the rehabilitation programme. The company said the works were completed without any major injuries.​ The restart restores operations at a key processing facility within KCM's integrated copper operations in Zambia. Attention will now turn to the smelter's operational performance following the extended maintenance period and KCM's broader efforts to rebuild production across its mining and processing assets.​ The restart of the Nchanga Smelter removes a temporary processing constraint at KCM following the 106-day shutdown. With annual capacity of 311,000 mt, the facility is an important part of KCM's copper processing chain. The US$40 million rehabilitation could support improved operational reliability following years of limited major refurbishment, while the pace at which KCM increases mine supply and utilisation of its processing assets will remain important in determining the impact on Zambia's overall copper production.

Zambia's Mopani Copper Mines, now majority-owned by ZCCM-IH with IRH as partner, is rebuilding output: in June 2026 it processed 289,000 tonnes of ore and produced 5,140 tonnes of cathode against a 5,104-tonne target, running on own feed. The company secured a US$20 million Epiroc equipment order in April 2026. Zambia aims to lift national copper production to 3 million tonnes by 2031, and Mopani plans to scale from about 65,000 tonnes currently toward 110,000 and then 180,000 tonnes. Its ramp-up is a key gauge of supply growth across the African Copperbelt.

Spanish-language mining media report that BHP and Amazon have rolled out the first lower-emissions copper pilot at Escondida using Environmental Attribute Certificates, certifying emissions reductions within the mining setting rather than offsetting them elsewhere. Unveiled on 22 September 2026, the pilot leverages Escondida's renewable electricity and desalinated water, with Amazon retiring the certificates to match lower-carbon attributes to its AI infrastructure. Escondida produces about 1.2 million tonnes of copper annually as the world's largest mine, and the label is expected to serve growing demand for low-carbon metal procurement.