First Quantum Minerals’ (TSX:FM) expanded Kansanshi copper mine in Zambia is on track to process about 27 million tonnes of ore in 2026, exceeding its design capacity by 8% and supporting a stronger production outlook, the company said on Wednesday.
Kansanshi Mining’s US$1.2 billion ($1.71 billion) S3 expansion project was commissioned in August 2025 and is expected to double the mine’s copper output to about 277,000 tonnes annually.
A new 25-million-tonne-a-year sulphide processing line is at the centre of the expansion, more than doubling Kansanshi’s processing capacity.
The company said strong availability, utilisation, and milling performance helped the plant exceed its throughput target.
The increased capacity has enabled Kansanshi to process substantial quantities of lower-grade sulphide ore, the company added.
Zambia has become First Quantum’s main copper-producing jurisdiction, contributing about 93% of group output in 2025 after the suspension of Cobre Panama in 2023.
The Kansanshi expansion is a key part of Africa’s No. 2 copper producer Zambia’s target to lift annual output to 3 million tonnes by 2031 from 890,346 tonnes last year.
Demand for copper is being driven by the global transition to cleaner energy.
(Reporting by Chris Mfula, Writing by Nelson Banya; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)
Image: First Quantum Minerals
