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Zambia · copper producer
Zambia is Africa's second-largest copper producer, with mines and smelters on the Copperbelt and in North-Western Province. On Copper Supply you can post a requirement or an offer for Zambian cathode, ore or concentrate for free, and every member passes an ID check before they can message anyone. Check export papers, SKRs and assays with the document check before you pay.
Zambia's copper comes from two areas. The Copperbelt Province, around Kitwe, Ndola, Chingola and Mufulira, has a long history of mining and smelting. North-Western Province, around Solwezi and Kalumbila, has some of the country's largest modern mines. Zambia also processes material from the DRC, and trucks from the DRC cross Zambia on their way to port.
Copper leaves Zambia mainly by truck, with rail on the TAZARA line from Kapiri Mposhi to Dar es Salaam. Other road routes run to Durban, Walvis Bay and Beira. Bonded warehouses in Ndola, Kitwe and Kapiri Mposhi are common places to inspect and pay.
Exports of any mineral need a mineral export permit from the Minerals Regulation Commission, which took over this role under the Minerals Regulation Commission Act 2024. Exporters also need mineral analysis and valuation certificates and royalty clearance from ZRA. Rules and duty rates change, so check with the Commission and ZRA before you commit.
Zambian sellers range from large mines to one-truck traders. Copper Supply shows you what has been checked about each one, so you can spend your time on real offers.
Copper Supply never holds trade money and takes no commission on deals. Before you deal with anyone, search the members-only scam list.
Free to join. Copper Supply never holds trade money and takes no commission on deals.
Mineral exports, including ore and concentrate, need a mineral export permit from the Minerals Regulation Commission, plus analysis and valuation certificates and royalty clearance from ZRA. Ore and concentrate exports have carried an export duty, with temporary waivers at times. Check the current rules with the Commission and ZRA before you agree a deal.
Expect a mineral export permit, a mineral analysis certificate, a valuation certificate, ZRA royalty clearance and the customs export declaration, plus the usual commercial papers such as the invoice, packing list and weight certificates. Ask the seller to show these for the actual lot, not a sample from another shipment.
Check the company on the PACRA registry and, for a mine, check its licence on the mining cadastre. Ask for the export permit for the goods and confirm any SKR directly with the warehouse. On Copper Supply, badges show which ID and company checks a seller has passed.
Often in bonded warehouses in Ndola, Kitwe or Kapiri Mposhi, or at the port in Dar es Salaam or Durban. Goods in a bonded warehouse are under customs control, so they can be inspected and sold before export. Agree the place in the contract using a clear Incoterm.
The market2 min read
How some buyers source ore directly from small and mid-sized mines: own trucks, joint sampling, independent assay and payment per truck. The maths and the risks.
Read the guideThe market2 min read
Where Central African copper is produced, the road and rail corridors it travels, and the warehouses where most trades are inspected and paid.
Read the guideChecking people2 min read
Everyone says they have stock. Five checks that separate sellers who control copper from people forwarding someone else's offer.
Read the guideHow deals work
Post it free. Members who trade that product get an email within minutes, and only ID-checked people can contact you.
Copper in Zambia: key facts
Yes, some processing plants and buyers buy ore at the mine gate, one truck at a time. The safest model uses the buyer's own trucks, joint sampling, an independent assay and payment per truck. Always check the mine's licence before the first load.
A trial of one to a few trucks is how most new copper relationships begin. How to structure it so both sides are protected, and what comes after.