• Barrick Mining’s Lumwana mine in Zambia produced 109,000 tonnes of copper by September 2025, up 41% year-on-year.

• The company targets between 125,000 and 155,000 tonnes of copper output for the full year 2025.

• Barrick is investing $2 billion to build a new processing plant, aiming to raise Lumwana’s annual capacity to 240,000 tonnes by 2028.

Barrick Mining boosted copper production at its Lumwana mine in Zambia by 41% to 109,000 tonnes in the first nine months of 2025, compared with 77,000 tonnes a year earlier. The company reported the figures in its third-quarter financial results released on November 10.

The output growth reflects a 27% year-on-year rise in third-quarter production volumes, driven by higher ore grades and improved recovery rates. With 109,000 tonnes already produced by September, Lumwana has reached 88% of its 2024 full-year total of 123,000 tonnes.

Barrick expects Lumwana to deliver between 125,000 and 155,000 tonnes of copper in 2025. The company aims to exceed 2024 levels as it ramps up operations under its long-term expansion plan.

The mining giant is investing $2 billion to construct a new processing facility at Lumwana, designed to increase annual output to 240,000 tonnes by 2028. The project is part of Barrick’s strategy to strengthen its copper portfolio amid rising global demand for the metal, driven by the energy transition and infrastructure needs.

Zambia, Africa’s second-largest copper producer, plans to raise national output to 3 million tonnes by 2031. The government targets 1 million tonnes in 2025, compared with 820,670 tonnes produced in 2024.

This article was initially published in French by Aurel Sèdjro Houenou

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum