• Chinese mining group MMG plans to invest $400 million in 2026 to expand the Khoemacau copper mine in Botswana.
• The project aims to raise output to 130,000 tons of copper concentrate per year by 2028.
• The expansion comes as copper demand rises and Botswana seeks to diversify its economy beyond diamonds.

Chinese mining company MMG Limited said on March 3 that it plans to invest $400 million in 2026 to expand the Khoemacau copper mine in Botswana. The project is intended to triple the site’s current production and lift output to 130,000 tons of copper concentrate per year by 2028.

MMG acquired the Khoemacau mine in 2023. The operation is currently one of Botswana’s two industrial copper producers, alongside the Motheo mine run by Sandfire Resources.

Production at Khoemacau remains relatively modest. The mine produced 42,120 tons of copper last year. In early February, the company launched an expansion program estimated to cost $900 million in total. The funds planned for 2026 will help advance construction work in the coming months.

To reach the target of 130,000 tons of copper, MMG plans to build a new processing plant that will double the mine’s treatment capacity. The expansion program also includes extending operations to new deposits, including Mango and Zeta North-East.

MMG described the project as a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening the long-term scale and profitability of its copper portfolio. The investment comes at a time when copper prices are rising and global demand is expected to grow, driven in part by the energy transition and expanding artificial intelligence technologies.

For Botswana, the project could unlock additional investment in a copper sector that is still emerging. The country has been seeking to diversify its economy, which remains heavily dependent on diamond production.

As with any large mining project, the success of the expansion will depend on MMG’s ability to complete construction on schedule while continuing operations at the existing mine. For the current financial year, the company expects to produce up to 53,000 tons of copper.

Aurel Sèdjro Houenou