Exploration, Production & Exports
According to information provided by the large scale mining companies and the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development and other government agencies, Copper and cobalt are the key commodities produced in Zambia. In 2015, the production was 710,860 (2014; 708, 258 mt) metric tonnes of copper. Also in 2015 103,439 (2014; 159,151) metric tonnes of Coal, 36,019 Kgs (2014; 6,253) of emeralds and 4,241 kgs (2014; 5,417) of gold were produced by extractive companies in Zambia;
Production of Major Mines in Zambia
In the charts below we present production of the major mines by company in 2015.
Copper production
Trend analysis of export information
Balance of Payments (US $’million), 2013-2015
COPPER
Copper export earnings, at US $5,233.6 million in 2015, were 31.3% lower than US $7,618.5 million realised in 2014 due to lower realised prices and export volumes. The average realised copper price declined by 23.0% to US $5,120.5 per tonne in 2015, largely reflecting the slowdown in global demand, particularly declining growth in China. Copper export volumes dropped by 10.8% to 1,022,096.5 metric tons (mt) from 1,146,315.4 mt in 2014.
COBALT
Cobalt export earnings also declined by 42.9% to US $70.7 million in 2015. This was attributed to lower export volumes and average realised prices. Cobalt export volumes fell by 34.7% to 2,978.8 mt from 4,562.2 mt in 2014. The temporary suspension of operations at Chambishi Metals Plc (Zambia’s major cobalt producer) in June and July 2015 due to challenges in procuring cobalt concentrate from the…
GOLD
Gold export earnings marginally declined by 0.3% to US $151.8 million in 2015 on account of the drop in volumes. Gold export volumes declined by 1.4% to 140,244.0 ounces from 142,607.0 ounces in export 2014. Average realised gold prices, at US $1,082.20 per ounce, were 1.4% higher than US $1,067.30 per ounce recorded in 2014. Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) contributed to the decline in cobalt export volumes. The average realised price of cobalt declined by 12.6% to US $23,736.3 per tonne from US $27,155.4 per tonne recorded in 2014.
Non-traditional export (NTEs)
Non-traditional export (NTEs) earnings declined to US $1,848.6 million from US $2,272.1 million recorded in 2014 (T able 3.7). Earnings from all major non-traditional export commodities declined except maize export earnings that increased to US $215.9 million. The general decline in prices of primary commodities on the global market, weak global demand, and loss in competitiveness of firms producing non-traditional export commodities due to a rise in costs of production as firms switched to producing non-traditional export commodities due to a rise in costs of production as firms switched to costly alternative energy sources accounted for the fall in NTEs earnings.
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