Vedanta’s Konkola Copper Mines, one of Africa’s largest integrated copper producers, has restarted operations at its Nchanga smelter in Zambia after 106 days of maintenance and repairs, extending a shutdown initially planned for 60 days. The company said Monday that inspections uncovered additional critical work that had to be completed before the plant could resume production.

The $350 million smelter, commissioned in 2010, is one of Zambia’s largest copper-processing facilities, with an annual capacity of 311,000 metric tons. Its rehabilitation cost about $40 million and marked the first major refurbishment of the plant in eight years, KCM said.

KCM targets higher output

KCM produced 80,215 metric tons of copper in 2025, according to Zambia’s mines ministry. The company is upgrading its operations as it works toward increasing annual copper production to about 300,000 metric tons by 2030.

The restart comes as Zambia seeks to sharply increase national copper production and capitalize on stronger demand for the metal. The country produced 890,346 metric tons in 2025 and has set a target of 3 million metric tons annually by 2031.

Tailings project adds capacity

KCM is also pursuing a $498 million project with China NERIN Engineering to build a copper recovery plant using existing mine tailings. The facility is expected to add about 70,000 metric tons of annual copper production, giving the company another source of output as it expands its operations.

Vedanta Resources owns about 80% of KCM, while Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings, the state investment company, holds the remaining 20%. KCM is one of Africa’s major integrated copper producers and operates in Zambia’s Copperbelt region.

Zambia pushes copper expansion

Zambia is Africa’s second-largest copper producer after the Democratic Republic of Congo and is seeking greater investment across mining and processing. The government’s production target would more than triple 2025 output, putting pressure on producers to expand mines, processing capacity and related infrastructure.

Vedanta has been expanding its natural resources operations in several markets, including India, South Africa, Liberia and Namibia. The Nchanga restart and planned tailings recovery plant form part of KCM’s wider investment program aimed at raising production from its Zambian assets.