Zambia’s copper market in brief
Zambia produced 890,346 tonnes of copper in 2025, up from 825,513 tonnes in 2024, according to figures announced by Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe in January 2026. The country missed its one-million-tonne target for the year and has set a goal of three million tonnes a year by 2031. Production is concentrated on the Copperbelt (Kitwe, Chingola, Mufulira, Chililabombwe) and in North-Western Province (Solwezi, Kalumbila).
Large mines sell most of their output under long-term contracts. Spot lots offered to new buyers usually come from traders, smaller producers, processors and recyclers — which is why checking the seller matters as much as checking the copper.
What Zambian copper suppliers offer
| Product | What it is | What decides its value |
|---|---|---|
| Copper cathode | Refined copper plates, usually 99.99% Cu | Whether it is an LME-registered brand meeting Grade A; condition; weight |
| Copper concentrate | Ground ore after flotation, commonly 20–40% Cu | Payable copper after moisture; penalty elements |
| Blister or anode copper | Partly refined copper | Copper content and impurities |
| Copper scrap | Wire and other scrap, graded to ISRI specifications | Grade (e.g. bare bright, #1, #2); contamination |
Check 1 and 2: the company and the licence
Look the company up with PACRA (the Patents and Companies Registration Agency). Compare its registration number, directors and shareholders with the people and documents you have been given.
Then check the licence on the Zambia Mining Cadastre, kept by the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development. Under the Mines and Minerals Development Act, mining is carried out under artisanal, small-scale or large-scale mining licences, and dealing in minerals needs a mineral trading permit, with separate import and export permits. Confirm:
- the holder is the company you are dealing with;
- the licence or permit covers copper and the activity offered (mining, processing, trading or export);
- it is current, and will still be current when the copper is due to ship;
- an export permit can be, or has been, issued for this consignment.
Our company and licence background check covers these steps and the directors’ screening.
Check 3: the right to sell the lot
A trader offering copper from a named mine or warehouse should show how it holds the lot: a purchase contract, a warehouse receipt in its name, or a written mandate from the owner. We confirm with the warehouse or the producer that the lot exists, belongs to whom the seller says, and is not already committed to someone else.
Check 4 and 5: cathodes — brand, count and grade
Cathode sold as LME Grade A must come from a brand registered with the London Metal Exchange and meet BS EN 1978:1998 (Cu-CATH-1) or ASTM B115 Grade 1. The LME publishes its list of approved brands, so a brand claim can be checked directly.
- Read the brand and lot marks stamped on the plates and compare them with the brand on the certificates.
- Count bundles and weigh a representative number; compare with the packing list.
- Note the condition — nodulation, oxidation, damage.
- Take XRF readings, and draw samples for laboratory analysis where the contract requires it.
Non-registered cathode is a legitimate product, but it is not LME Grade A and should not be priced as if it were. Registered cathode trades against the LME price; non-registered material trades at a negotiated discount that reflects its lower liquidity.
Check 4 and 5: concentrate — the sample decides the price
Concentrate is paid on its copper content after moisture is deducted, with penalties for elements such as arsenic and bismuth. A sample that does not represent the lot means a wrong price. The sample should be drawn under independent supervision, following the principles of ISO 12743 (sampling of copper, lead, zinc and nickel concentrates) and ISO 10251 (moisture), sealed, split and sent to an accredited laboratory, with the certificate addressed to the buyer.
Zambia extended its duty-free waiver on concentrate exports in June 2026 while local smelters were under repair, so more concentrate has been offered for export. The export permit should name the product and quantity. See copper sampling and lab testing.
Check 6: documents for a Zambian copper export
- Export permit from the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development
- Certificate of analysis or assay from the laboratory
- Weight certificate and packing list
- Certificate of origin
- Customs export declaration with the Zambia Revenue Authority
- Transport documents to the port (Dar es Salaam, Durban, Walvis Bay or Beira)
Each is confirmed with its issuer. See document authentication.
Check 7: screening and payment
Screen the company, its directors and beneficial owners against sanctions lists, adverse media and court records, and check that the receiving bank account is in the selling company’s name. Structure payment so money moves against confirmed results: the inspection report and the independent assay.
Having a Zambian copper supplier verified
We have an office in Lusaka and inspect on the Copperbelt and in North-Western Province. Nairank Global is independent of buyers and sellers. Its fees are outcome-neutral: they are the same whether or not the transaction proceeds. We verify the supplier you are considering. Send the supplier’s name and offer to supplier due diligence, or book an inspection at testing and inspection.