MINING IN AFRICA SPECIAL — ZCCM to sell Chambishi mine

The Chambishi copper mine and associated assets are being offered for sale by Zambia’s state-owned copper miner ZCCM.

According to Platt’s Metals Week, tender advertisements will soon invite bidders to buy the mine.

Several major companies are reported to have expressed interest, and it is expected the sale will be completed by September, 1995.

Chambishi, which was closed in 1987, contains more than 90 million tonnes grading 2.38% copper. Of this total, about 33 million tonnes of 2.55% copper can be extracted through the existing 1,021-metre shaft system. A feasibility study by ZCCM suggests that 40,000 tonnes of copper per year could be produced at the site for a capital cost of US$100 million. However, Platt’s reports that visitors to the mine believe some processing equipment has been removed from the site and sent to ZCCM’s other operations.