Projects

Access project info, research reports, case studies, and news on China-Africa mining cooperation. We offer insights for researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals.

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Chambishi Copper Mine

The project is operated by Non-Ferrous China Africa (NFCA) (also known as NFC Africa), a wholly owned CNMC subsidiary. It is primarily a copper mining operation with both underground (main and west orebodies) and open-pit (Southeast Orebody) components also producing gold as a minor by-product . The Southeast Orebody Project, launched in 2018 with a US $830 million investment. The Sino-Metals operation occupies 330 km² of mining licenses covering the Mwambashi and Samba areas; the Mwambashi open pit alone extracts 500,000 t of ore per year. It is noted as Africa’s first “digital mine,” producing ore that’s fed to the concentrator for copper and cobalt concentrates . CNMC subsidiary Sino-Metals Leach Zambia handles hydrometallurgical operations, using leaching and solvent extraction to process lower-grade ores into copper cathode.

Copper
Zambia
Started: 2018Status: Active

Luanshya Copper Mines

China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group (CNMC) - CNMC acquired an 85% stake in Luanshya Copper Mines (“LCM”) in 2009 for US$ 50 million from Enya Holdings BV (“Enya”) following the suspension of operations at Baluba Centre Mine in the advent of the Global Financial Crisis. Immediately post-acquisition, CNMC changed the name of the mine to CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines (“CNMC-LCM”), and it initially held an 85% shareholding stake in CNMC-LCM, and later transferred a 5% stake to Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings (ZCCM-IH) to achieve a 80 %: 20% shareholding structure per the terms of the acquisition. Therefore, ZCCM-IH currently holds a 20% stake whilst CNMC holds an 80% stake. Luanshya Copper Mines, located in Zambia’s Copperbelt Province, is one of the country’s oldest copper mining assets, dating back to the early 20th century. The mine has long been central to the town of Luanshya, but over the years, it experienced periods of closure and ownership changes due to fluctuating copper prices, under-investment, and operational challenges. By the early 2000s, the Baluba underground mine—then the main producing asset—was struggling financially. After a series of privatizations and failed turnarounds, the mine was eventually shut down in 2008 by its then-owner, Enya Holdings, citing the global financial crisis and operational losses.In 2009, China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group (CNMC), a Chinese state-owned enterprise, entered the picture and the mine has been operational producing copper.

Cobalt, Copper
Zambia
Started: 2009Status: Active

Xinfeng Investments

According to NamibLII judgment, Xinfeng reported a resource of 8.3 million tonnes of lithium-bearing ore at ~1.04% Li₂O under licence ML243. The project operates under Exclusive Prospecting Licence EPL 7228. The mineral forms stated include spodumene, petalite, lepidolite, amblygonite with ore grade of 0.53% Li₂O. The company’s mining area covers about 200,000 hectares (for seven mines / mining rights they hold. In 2022, the mining rights of seven mines have been obtained, of which the main mining mining rights are 20 years. The mining area is located in the northwest of Namibia, covering a total area of about 200,000 hectares. https://en.xfrdjt.com/product/3.html Reports say this plant will have a capacity of 1 million tonnes of concentrated lithium annually

Lithium
Namibia
Started: --Status: Active