By: Reuters

Zambia's Luanshya Copper Mine, majority owned by China Nonferrous Mining Corporation (CNMC), is set to resume production in August after spending more than two decades idle, the mines ministry said on Thursday.

CNMC acquired Luanshya in 2009 and holds an 80% stake. Zambia's mining investment arm ZCCM-IH owns 20% of the mine, which, before production could resume, had to go through a dewatering process after severe flooding damaged infrastructure.

The mines ministry said that as of March 27 approximately 87.9 million cubic metres of water had been pumped out of the mine, clearing the way for infrastructure development and construction.

"Luanshya Mine ... is scheduled to resume production at its upper mine in August 2026," the ministry said in a statement. "Production at the lower mine is expected to commence in 2029 under the ongoing redevelopment of the 28 Shaft being undertaken by China Luanshya Mine (CLM)."

The 28 Shaft's redevelopment represents an investment of around $710 million, covering new shaft systems, a concentrator plant, and related infrastructure, the ministry added.

"To date, more than $75 million has already been invested in the project," it said. "In addition, CLM is exploring potential collaboration with ZCCM Investments Holdings (ZCCM-IH) to develop mining opportunities in newly acquired areas within the region."

The Luanshya mine is expected to produce approximately 100,000 metric tons of copper annually by 2030 once fully operational, boosting output for Africa's second-largest copper producer as it seeks to more than triple production to 3 million tons by 2031.

(Reporting by Chris Mfula in Lusaka and Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo in Johannesburg; Editing by Joe Bavier)