n October 3, 2024, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, accompanied by his cabinet members, officially launched the development of a Super Pit at Barrick’s Lumwana copper mine.
The feasibility study for this expansion is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year, setting the stage for construction to commence in 2025. Once finalized, the $2 billion project aims to position Lumwana as a long-life, high-yielding Tier One copper producer, ranking among the top 25 copper mines globally.
The expansion plan includes doubling the throughput of the existing processing circuit and significantly increasing mining volumes. Plant throughput is projected to rise from the current 27 million tonnes (Mt) to 52 Mt, effectively doubling the mine’s annual copper production from 120,000 tonnes (kt) to an average of 240 kt over its lifespan.
This expansion will be complemented by a gradual increase in total mining volumes, which are expected to grow from 150 Mt in 2025 to approximately 240 Mt by 2028, ultimately reaching an average rate of 290 Mt per annum from 2030 onwards.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, attended by the Barrick board of directors, Barrick President and CEO Mark Bristow emphasized that a key aspect of the Super Pit Expansion is its commitment to fostering a sustainable legacy through the development of local capacity in the region. This initiative aims to benefit both local communities and businesses during the construction and operational phases.
To support the ramp-up, the expansion will require around 550 additional workers over the next five years, as well as an additional 2,500 construction workers during a three-year period leading up to 2028.
“We are also planning to build essential infrastructure, including an airstrip and an industrial supplier park, enabling key suppliers to establish themselves in the area and creating an economic hub that will further stimulate growth and development in the wider region,” Bristow stated.
“Mining plays a vital role in Zambia’s economy, and our partnership with Barrick is uniting us as one team with a shared vision to develop a new economic frontier in the North-Western Province and beyond,” President Hakainde Hichilema added.
