Zambia's copper smelters plan extended shutdowns, squeezing output and chemical supplies

Published: Apr 20, 2026 00:00

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Two of Zambia’s major copper smelters and sulfuric acid producers plan to conduct extended maintenance shutdowns later this year. This will further tighten the country’s copper output and also affect supplies of chemicals such as sulfuric acid used in copper and cobalt processing. Zambia’s copper smelters produce approximately 2 million metric tons of sulfuric acid annually, mostly as a by-product for local mines, with surplus volumes exported to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Meanwhile, ongoing conflicts in the Middle East have disrupted global supplies of sulfuric acid and other leaching chemicals. As a result, mines in the DRC — the world’s top cobalt producer and second-largest copper producer — have had to reduce chemical usage or even consider cutting production.

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