LUSAKA, June 3 – Zambia has extended the suspension of its 10% export duty on copper concentrates until September 30, providing relief to mining companies facing processing bottlenecks caused by ongoing maintenance work at key smelting facilities.
The decision is intended to help producers reduce growing inventories of unprocessed copper concentrate as several major smelters continue repairs and operational upgrades following technical challenges that have affected output.
As Africa’s second-largest copper producer, Zambia relies heavily on the mining sector for export earnings, government revenue and foreign exchange inflows.
While the country traditionally exports most of its copper in refined cathode form, temporary disruptions at processing facilities have increased the need for concentrate exports.
The duty waiver, originally introduced in August 2025, will now remain in effect for an additional three months and covers more than 271,000 metric tons of copper concentrate eligible for export under the programme.
Among the beneficiaries, Mopani Copper Mines received the largest allocation, with approval to export up to 100,000 metric tons of concentrate without incurring the duty.
The company is jointly owned by International Resources Holding and ZCCM Investments Holdings.
Lumwana Mining Company, owned by Barrick Mining Corporation, was allocated a duty-free export quota of nearly 57,000 metric tons.
Additional allocations were granted to operations controlled by First Quantum Minerals and Chinese-owned Nkana Mining and Minerals Processing, each receiving quotas of approximately 43,000 metric tons.
Meanwhile, Lubambe Copper Mine, majority-owned by JCHX Mining Management, secured a 15,000-ton allocation, while Konkola Copper Mines, owned by Vedanta Resources, received approval to export more than 12,500 metric tons.
The extension comes as Zambia seeks to accelerate growth in its mining sector and significantly increase copper production over the coming decade.
The country exported approximately 890,000 metric tons of copper in 2025 and has set an ambitious target of raising annual output to 3 million metric tons by 2031.
Authorities view the temporary duty suspension as a short-term measure designed to support mining operations while ensuring that production targets remain on track despite current processing constraints.
The move also highlights Zambia’s determination to maintain momentum in its copper industry as global demand for the metal continues to rise, driven by investment in renewable energy systems, electric vehicles and power infrastructure.
