Zambia’s copper output in 2010 is projected to rise to 700,000 metric tons due to increasing production at various mines, the country’s Finance Ministry has said.

In a medium-term expenditure framework policy document statement seen by Dow Jones Newswires Monday, the Treasury said Zambia’s 2009 copper output would rise to 664,000 tons, surpassing the earlier forecast of 600,000 tons as copper mines continue to increase output after recovering from the effect of low global copper prices.

The statement added that by 2012, the country will be able to produce up to 750,000 tons of copper. The last time Zambia recorded more than 700,000 tons was in the 1970s.
Zambia’s copper mining sector almost collapsed after global copper prices tumbled by more than 60% in December last year. However, prices have been recovering since the start of the year.

Central bank data indicate Zambia’s copper output in the first half of 2009 increased by 31.6% on the year, boosted by the start of commercial output at Equinox Minerals Ltd.’s (EQN.T) Lumwana Copper Mine in the Northwestern Province.
Other mining companies boosting copper output in Zambia include First Quantum Minerals Ltd.(FM.T), which owns the Kansanshi Copper Mine, Vedanta Resources PLC (VED.LN), which owns Konkola Copper Mines, and NFC Africa Mining, a unit of China Nonferrous Metals Co. Ltd. (8306.HK), which owns the Chambishi Copper Mine and the Baluba Copper Mine.

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