First Mining Drc-Zambia July/Aug 2019 First Mining DRC-ZAMBIA July-August 2019 digital | Page 8

NEWS
Local businesses can tap into the
growing Zambian mining sector
These account for around 80 percent
of Zambia’s annual copper production.
These mining groups are leaders in
direct capital investment in this industry,
having ploughed a collective US$12,4
billion into new mining projects between
2000 and 2014.
Most of the mines in Zambia are majority-
owned by international investors.
The Zambian government, through its
investment holding company Zambia
Consolidated Copper Mines Investments
Holdings (ZCCM-IH), is a minority
shareholder in nearly all mines, hence
cumulatively the government is the
biggest shareholder in Zambia’s mining
industry.
Z
imbabwe’s
strategic
position
as Zambia’s neighbour offers
immense opportunities for local
exporters to boost their business. A recent
market survey conducted by ZimTrade
— the national trade development and
promotion organisation — in May 2019
revealed that there are opportunities for
local businesses to tap into the growing
market in Zambia’s mining sector.
Apart from the promising mining sector,
Zambia is strategically positioned as
a gateway into markets such as the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),
Angola and Central African Republic,
and this provides a niche for local
companies looking to increase brand
awareness and form new partnerships.
Zambia is predominantly a copper mining
country, with 6 percent of the world’s
reserves. It is the second largest copper
producer in Africa after the DRC. Mining
is a growing sector in Zambia, with
several projects being commissioned
annually, especially in the Copperbelt
province.
It is projected that investments in the
Zambian mining sector will reach
approximately US$15 billion in new
projects alone by 2020. Zambia’s
mining sector is dominated by four main
mining groups: Barrick Lumwana, FQM
Kansanshi, Konkola Copper Mines and
Mopani Mine.
These account for around 80 percent
of Zambia’s annual copper production.
These mining groups are leaders in
direct capital investment in this industry,
having ploughed a collective US$12,4
billion into new mining projects between
2000 and 2014.
Most of the mines in Zambia are majority-
owned by international investors. Mining
is a growing sector in Zambia, with
several projects being commissioned
annually, especially in the Copperbelt
province.
It is projected that investments in the
Zambian mining sector will reach
approximately US$15 billion in new
projects alone by 2020. Zambia’s
mining sector is dominated by four main
mining groups: Barrick Lumwana, FQM
Kansanshi, Konkola Copper Mines and
Mopani Mine.
6
Penetrating
the
Zambian
mining
sector offers further opportunities in
downstream activities that the mines
support. For example, most mines
run hospitals, schools and training
centres. These institutions also present
downstream opportunities which local
suppliers should consider exploiting.
Products and services to export
During the market survey, buyers in
some of the leading mines revealed
some of the products and services
that have a ready market in Zambia,
which include capital plant equipment
for comminution such as primary and
secondary crushers, flotation cells,
gearless drives, grinder mills, classifiers
and concentrators.
Other capital plant equipment required in
Zambian mines are separators, material-
handling feeders, mine ventilation,
draglines, tyres, mining support vehicles,
drills and earthmoving equipment and
power generation machinery.
Some of the buyers also enquired on
suppliers for electrical equipment and
consumables that include transformers,
electric motors, cables, batteries,
ventilation fans and general electrical
consumables.
www.fmdrc-Zambia.com