3m tonnes annual copper production target unattainable with unresolved KCM, MCM issues, says ZUPED 

By MILLENNIUM REPORTER

ZAMBIANS for Peace, Unity and Development (ZUPED) says it will be difficult for the country to achieve its annual target of producing three million metric tonnes of copper as long as the challenges at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) and Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) remain unresolved.

ZUPED president, Ronnie Zulu told Millennium TV in an interview that with the unresolved problems at MCM and KCM, copper production will continue to slump.

“President Hakainde Hichilema wants to see Zambia export up to at least three million tonnes of copper every year and this can only happen if we quickly work around unlocking the mining sector and begin to do our work. Three million tonnes is a very huge task and the sooner we do that the better,” Mr Zulu said.

He stated that Government should be cognizant of the role that the two mines play in economic development and should expedite the process of securing investors to take over operations.

Mr Jere observed that the three million metric tonnes copper production annual target is ambitious and required Government to unlock the mining sector.

He advised Government to expeditiously find suitable investors to take over MCM and KCM to enable the mines to resume operations at full capacity.

“So, we ask the Head of State to quickly work around finding a suitable investor for Mopani but also quickly resolve issues with KCM, give KCM to Vedanta so that they begin to operate optimally and we will see the Kwacha continue to gain and we will see Zambians benefit from the gains that will come as a result of stabilizing of the Kwacha,” Mr Jere said.