First Quantum Minerals Consolidates Operations at Kansanshi Mine in Preparation for $1 Billion Expansion

First Quantum Minerals has announced a merger of the services currently provided by its own mining division (FQMO) and that of Kansanshi Mining Plc (KMP) ahead of expansion at the Kansanshi mine. The services in question are to include the companies’ road and earthworks division and mining divisions.

 FQMO was FQM’s first corporate entity in Zambia, and was established to operate the Bwana Mkubwa mine. After FQM expanded the scope of its operations in Zambia with mining activity at Kansanshi and Sentinel, FQMO was tasked with expanding to accommodate mining, infrastructure, exploration, community health and other critical services for all three mines.

The consolidation aims to rearrange the internal matrix of FQM business operations in a way to promote efficiency, by restructuring all units that are solely committed to Kansanshi into one group. The remainder of FQMO not merging with KMP, meanwhile, will manage services that relate to all FQM companies elsewhere.

Rudi Badenhorst, Chief Operating Officer, sent a statement to all FQM Zambia employees explaining the Kansanshi consolidation and describing how FQM operations in Zambia are set to expand. He wrote, “We remain highly optimistic about the prospects and outlook for the mining industry in Zambia, and our unwavering commitment to Kansanshi is demonstrated through our substantial investments in the S3 project, smelter upgrade, mine fleet enhancement and other strategic initiatives totalling over USD 1 billion over the next 2 years. Consolidating our mining operations at Kansanshi will enable us to better support the roll-out of these projects”.