Zambian President Edgar Lungu has assured ZCCM Investments that the country's government will support the miner’s expansion of its Lubambe copper mine.

In visiting the Chililabombwe-based ZCCM Investments on January 7, Lungu said the Lubambe extension was “too much good news to be ignored” and directed State House Minister Freedom Sikazwe and his office technocrats to ensure the mine gets all the support and necessary approvals required to ensure the project is a success.

Lungu was accompanied by Zambia Mines and Minerals Development Minister Richard Musukwa and other Cabinet Ministers, permanent secretaries and local government leaders.

As such, Lungu directed Lubambe operations director Tony Davis to provide details of the help that the mine required to expedite all pending processes.

He added that the future of the Lubambe project lies in the extension project, which is located 6 km south of the existing mine.

In July 2020, the Lubambe mine completed an advanced concept study confirming the potential of the Lubambe extension project at 247-million tonnes at a grade of 3.64% copper.

Davis also revealed that the mine had increased production by 70%, from one-million tonnes of copper in 2017 to 1.7-million tonnes in 2020.

However, Lungu also emphasised that all processes required for the project to take off must be followed to the letter to ensure the project is executed appropriately.

“You have my support on this project, but I wish to emphasise that all processes and requirements must be fulfilled so that everything is done according to book and within legal requirements and provisions,” he said.

In turn, Davis pledged the mine's commitment to doing its part to provide the details and information required by government.

While at the mine, Lungu urged Lubambe employees and labour unions at the mine to increase production. “I want to tell you that nothing succeeds like hard work. We all need to work hard and sustain production so that no job is lost. Produce more and demand more.”

He also thanked the mine’s management for being one of the outstanding mines in Zambia in terms of health and safety discipline, despite tragedy that occurred in November 2020 when a miner died.

Lubambe generally has a good safety record, said Lungu.