Zambia’s Critical Minerals Agenda
Megatrends Policy Brief 54, 13.11.2026, 10 Pagesdoi:10.18449/2026MTA-PB54
Zambia aims to triple its copper output within the next five years, rebuild its mining regulator, legislate for local participation, and expand domestic mineral processing. Phemelo Tamasiga, Youba Sokona, Lebogang Mateane and Chipo Kufuna assess whether the ambition exceeds the capacity.

Bundles of newly mined copper sheets at Kansanshi mine, Zambia, February 2016.
© picture alliance / Visually | Blaize Pascall