Production of concentrate has started in Zambia at what will become one of Africa’s largest nickel mines.

The Enterprise mine in Kalumbila, in the country’s North-Western Province, is designed to process 4 million tons of ore and produce an estimated 32 000 tons of nickel per year, according to the owner, Canada-based First Quantum Minerals (FQM).

‘The operation is expected to steadily increase production volumes over the next two years,’ says project manager Axel Köttgen.

The mine was formally commissioned in 2022, and the new concentrator is expected to be commissioned this month.

FQM invested an additional US$100 million in the mine last year as market demand picked up for nickel, used in lithium-ion batteries.

The mine, which is expected to create 700 permanent jobs, will make Zambia the 10th-largest nickel producer in the world.

1 August 2023
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