By: International mining

MMG Ltd has greenlit a major expansion of the Khoemacau Copper Mine in Botswana, with plans to boost annual copper output to 130,000 tonnes and silver production to over 4 million ounces. The project involves extending operations to the Zone 5 North, Mango, and Zeta North-East deposits and constructing a new 4.5 million-tonne-per-year processing plant, which will increase the mine’s total milling capacity to more than 8 million tonnes annually.

With an estimated capital expenditure of around $900 million, the expansion is expected to deliver its first copper concentrate in the first half of 2028. The move is projected to lower the life-of-mine average C1 cost to below $1.60 per pound, a significant improvement from the $2.05 per pound reported for the first half of 2025. MMG has also identified potential for further growth, targeting up to 200,000 tonnes of copper per year, with a pre-feasibility study scheduled to begin in 2026.

In a related development, Chinese mining services provider JCHX Mining Management secured a five-year, $805 million contract in June 2025 to take over underground mining operations at Khoemacau from Perenti’s Barminco. JCHX described the project as strategically significant, marking its entry into Botswana’s mining sector and reinforcing its presence in Africa.