Production declines at Sentinel mine offset gains at Kansanshi; company eyes rebound with new processing plant.

Highlights:

● First Quantum’s Zambian copper output fell to 170,116 t in H1 2025, down 9% YoY from 188,800 t.
● Sentinel mine posted a sharp 23% drop; Kansanshi rose 10% thanks to early ramp-up gains.
● Despite setback, annual target of 360,000–420,000 t remains unchanged due to upcoming upgrades.

Canadian miner First Quantum Minerals recorded a 9% year-on-year drop in copper production in Zambia during the first half of 2025, according to figures released in its July 23 earnings report. Output fell to 170,116 tonnes, compared to 188,800 tonnes over the same period in 2024, as a sharp decline at one site offset improvements at the other.

The company operates two key assets in Zambia — Kansanshi and Sentinel — which together accounted for 93% of its global copper output in 2024. That year, the two mines produced a combined 402,000 tonnes, nearly half of Zambia’s total copper output (829,670 t).

In H1 2025, Kansanshi mine output increased by 10% to 80,647 tonnes, up from 72,980 t the previous year, driven by improved operational performance. In contrast, Sentinel mine output slumped by 23% to 89,469 tonnes, down from 115,820 t, weighing on the company’s overall performance.

Despite the weaker first half, First Quantum has maintained its full-year forecast for Zambian operations, projecting total production of 360,000 to 420,000 tonnes in 2025. The company expects a stronger second half, driven by the commissioning of the S3 expansion project at Kansanshi — a new processing plant aimed at boosting throughput — and higher anticipated ore grades at Sentinel.

This article was initially published in French by Aurel Sèdjro Houenou

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho