LUSAKA, Feb 17 – Zambia’s Minerals Regulation Commission said on Monday that it has lifted the suspension on underground operations at Mopani Copper Mines’ Mufulira mine after the company implemented required safety measures.
The regulator had halted operations last week, citing non compliance with safety regulations. Authorities said the mine failed to maintain an accurate system to account for all underground workers, as required under existing mining rules.
In a statement issued on Monday, the commission said Mopani introduced additional safeguards to address the concerns. These include technology that verifies the mine is cleared two hours after the end of each shift. The company also installed closed circuit television systems to monitor underground activities.
The commission said the measures comply with Mining Regulation 218 and meet the standards for a safe working environment. However, a spokesperson for Mopani was not immediately available for comment.
Mopani Copper Mines is one of Zambia’s largest copper producers. In 2024, United Arab Emirates based International Resources Holding acquired a 51 percent stake in the company in a $1.1 billion transaction. Zambia’s state mining firm, ZCCM Investments Holdings, owns the remaining stake.
Zambia produced about 890,000 metric tons of copper last year, according to government data. The country has set a target to increase annual copper output to 3 million tons by 2031.
