Zambia: Chambishi smelter on expansion programme
By Nawa Mutumweno- Chambishi Copper Smelter on the Zambian Copperbelt has embarked on a $250 million expansion programme to double its annual output starting next year.
According to CCS deputy chief executive officer Fan Wei, the increase in annual production capacity from 150 000 to about 300 000 tonnes of blisters and 340 000 tonnes of sulphuric acid was expected to satisfy rising demand.
The company had engaged some state of the art ‘ISA technology’ from Australia to satisfy its clientele which includes Lumwana Copper Mines, Luanshya Mine, NFCA and Chibuluma.
The expansion programme was already on course with the company being committed to improving its environmental protection undertakings.
In a recent assessment report to the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ), the company stated that it aimed at reducing the amount of effluent discharged into the environment. It planned to improve on the copper recovery rate to 98% and the sulphur dioxide recovery rate emitted into the environment to 9%.
Construction of the concentrator unit was underway, comprising a slag cooling system, crusher milling plant, floatation circuits and modification of auxiliary facilities.
