Zambia’s copper output rises

COPPER output increased by 7.6 percent to 857,848 tonnes in 2018 from 797,266 a year before, the Ministry of Finance annual economic report says.

Mining performance, the report says, in 2018 recorded a positive increase in production, particularly in large mines.

The report says performance was supported by satisfactory copper prices especially in the first half of the year, coupled with continued reliable supply of electricity.

Production by small-scale mines, the report says, increased significantly by 84 percent to 10, 859 tonnes from 5, 900.71 tonnes in 2017.

“In 2018, coal output increased by 65.2 percent to 344.848 metric tonnes from 208,608 metric tonnes in 2017. The increase was due to the continued rise in demand for the commodity for electricity generation and industrial activities,” the report says.

The report says emerald and beryl production declined by 71.1 percent to 18,868.56 kilogrammes in 2018 from 65,242.83 kilograms in 2017.

“Amethyst, quartz, Garnet, and aquamarine production accounted for a combined total of 547,158.15 kilograms in 2018 compared to 1,446,488.22 kilograms in 2017. The