LUSAKA, April 21 – BHP is stepping up efforts to explore large-scale copper deposits in Zambia, signaling renewed international interest in the country’s vast mineral potential amid rising global demand for the metal.
Zambia, Africa’s second-largest copper producer after the Democratic Republic of Congo, is aiming to more than triple its copper output by 2031 and is actively courting foreign investment to unlock underexplored resources.
The move marks a shift for BHP, which had scaled back its presence in Africa after spinning off South32 in 2015. Its previous engagements in the region were limited, including a short-lived investment in Tanzania’s Kabanga nickel project.
Now, the company is re-engaging through a regional exploration campaign spanning southern Africa, including Zambia, South Africa, Namibia and Angola.
According to Zambia’s mines ministry, BHP is focusing on identifying large, deeply buried copper deposits that are difficult to detect using conventional exploration techniques. The company is deploying advanced geological tools and data-driven methods to locate so-called “mineral systems” that underpin major discoveries.
BHP’s head of global generative exploration, Campbell McCuaig, highlighted the importance of improved access to geoscience data, including airborne surveys and digitised geological records, in attracting global investors.
Zambia’s government has been ramping up reforms to make the mining sector more attractive, positioning the country as a key player in meeting future copper demand driven by energy transition technologies and electrification.
The renewed interest from a mining giant like BHP underscores Zambia’s strategic importance in the evolving global minerals landscape.
