LIVE
🔴 POLITICS: Zambia heads to the polls — August 2026 General Election📊 ECONOMY: Zambian Kwacha — latest exchange rates and market updates🏛️ INSTITUTIONS: ECZ announces 70 new constituencies for 2026 elections
The Zambian People's Pulse

THE ZAMBIAN
PEOPLE'S PULSE

ECONOMY90% Verified

DRC and Zambia listed among countries that hold most of the world’s copper

ECONOMY

Share this article

Listen to Story

Click play to have this article read aloud

DRC and Zambia listed among countries that hold most of the world’s copper

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia are significantly bolstering Africa's standing in the global copper market, driven by increasing demand for the metal. The DRC has emerged as one of the top four countries globally for copper reserves and is expanding its influence through new industrial partnerships, such as a deal involving state miner Gécamines. Zambia is also strengthening its position as a key producer, aiming to exceed one million tonnes of copper by 2026 and triple its output to three million tonnes by 2031, supported by efforts to attract international investment. Both nations are critical to future supply, anchoring production along the resource-rich Central African Copperbelt. Globally, copper reserves are highly concentrated, with Chile leading. Copper's role is evolving beyond construction to become crucial for electric vehicles, renewable energy, and AI infrastructure, leading to sharply rising demand. However, extraction is becoming more challenging, raising concerns about future supply constraints.

No content available.

Related Articles

BHP eyes large-scale copper exploration in Zambia, mines ministry says
ECONOMY

BHP eyes large-scale copper exploration in Zambia, mines ministry says

Global mining giant BHP is reportedly keen on pursuing large-scale copper exploration in Zambia, according to the country's mines ministry. This interest highlights a growing international focus on Zambia's mineral wealth, driven by surging demand for copper. Zambia, Africa's second-largest copper producer, aims to more than triple its output by 2031 and is actively seeking foreign investment to develop its largely underexplored deposits. BHP's renewed interest in Africa marks a shift, as the company had largely withdrawn from the continent since 2015, with a notable exception being its recent failed bid for Anglo American partly due to its South African operations. However, BHP recently launched exploration workshops across southern Africa, including Zambia, South Africa, Namibia, and Angola. BHP's head of global generative exploration, Campbell McCuaig, indicated that the company is targeting deeply buried or hidden large copper deposits using advanced geological methods and large-scale data analysis. He praised Zambia's efforts to expand access to geoscience data, such as airborne surveys and digitized geological records, which are crucial for attracting international investment into what remains one of the world's most prospective regions for copper.

10 African countries where inflation is rising fastest in 2026 amid global conflict
ECONOMY

10 African countries where inflation is rising fastest in 2026 amid global conflict

High inflation, indicated by rapidly increasing Consumer Price Index (CPI) levels, remains a significant economic challenge for many African nations. This persistent inflation leads to widespread price instability, diminishing consumer purchasing power and straining budgets for governments and businesses alike. Key drivers include rising costs of food, fuel, and fertilizers, exacerbated by Middle East conflicts and global supply chain disruptions. The World Bank projects Sub-Saharan Africa's growth rate to remain stagnant at 4.1% in 2026, a figure revised downward due to these inflationary pressures. The rising costs are also linked to tighter global financial conditions and geopolitical concerns. The most severe impact of this excessive inflation is the erosion of purchasing power, particularly affecting low-income households who spend a large portion of their income on necessities. This forces them to cut back on essential services like nutrition, healthcare, and education, further exacerbating poverty and hindering long-term development.

Funders commit $1.3 billion to Zambia critical minerals rail
ECONOMY

Funders commit $1.3 billion to Zambia critical minerals rail

The Africa Finance Corp. (AFC) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have committed $500 million each, alongside Italy's $320 million, to fund a new railway project in Zambia. This $1.3 billion initial commitment will support the construction of an 830-kilometer rail line connecting Zambia's copper mines to the Angolan port of Lobito, aiming to facilitate critical mineral exports to global markets. The pan-African lender, AFC, is leading the project, which is part of the larger Lobito Corridor initiative. This railway is projected to cost up to $5 billion, with construction slated to begin this year and completion by 2030. The project is seen by the US and EU as a strategic effort to counter China's influence in Africa and secure access to vital minerals like copper and cobalt, essential for electric vehicles and defense industries. It involves refurbishing an existing line to the Democratic Republic of Congo and building a new spur into Zambia's Northwestern and Copperbelt provinces, marking the largest new rail construction in Zambia since the 1970s. Project officials expect to select an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor by July or August, with groundbreaking anticipated by early 2027. The railway is expected to reduce cargo travel time significantly and generate an economic impact of approximately $3 billion for Angola and Zambia. It aims to secure commitments for 2.5 million to 3 million tons of cargo, with 1 million tons already committed and visibility to reach 5 million tons.

Reader Comments

Share Your Thoughts

No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!