Zambia has taken a bold step toward elevating its position in the global copper industry through a strategic partnership with Ivanhoe Mines.
The mining giant has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, marking the beginning of exploratory work in Zambia.
The deal, celebrated by the government and Ivanhoe leadership, sets the stage for new copper discoveries in the country’s mineral-rich landscapes.
This partnership aims to drive sustainable economic growth while advancing Zambia’s goal of becoming a leading copper producer.
The MOU outlines a collaborative framework between the Zambian government and Ivanhoe Mines, focusing on co-developing mining projects with an emphasis on sustainability.
Central to the agreement is access to geological data from Zambia’s extensive airborne geophysical survey, covering 750,000 square kilometers.
With this data in hand, Ivanhoe hopes to replicate its success from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it turned an unmineralized region into one of the world’s most productive copper districts.
“We are now entering Zambia, as well as Angola, where we have high conviction that new discoveries are waiting to be uncovered,” said Robert Friedland, Ivanhoe’s Executive Co-Chairman.
This partnership aligns with Zambia’s ambitious plans to quadruple its copper output by 2031, potentially catapulting the country to the world’s second-largest producer.
President Hakainde Hichilema has stressed the importance of mining in driving economic growth, with the copper industry at the heart of his administration’s goals.
If successful, this new collaboration with Ivanhoe could drastically reshape Zambia’s economic future.
