Khoemacau eyes higher production in 2026
Lewanika Timothy | Wednesday January 28, 2026 06:00
A new filing stated that production at the project located in the Kalahari Copper Belt went up by 21% in Q4 when compared to Q3, rising to nearly 11,000 tonnes.
The improved October-December quarter performance comes as the mine positions itself for a further production lift in 2026, according to targets set by parent company MMG.
A quarter production report issued by the parent company MMG to stakeholders this week showed that, copper production for the fourth quarter rose to 10,993 tonnes in copper concentrate, representing an eight percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
The improved performance was underpinned by higher ore grades and stronger metallurgical recoveries, reflecting operational stabilisation following earlier contractor change disruptions in the year.
“Khoemacau copper production for the December quarter 2025 totalled 10,993 tonnes of copper in copper concentrate, an increase of eight percent on the prior corresponding period,” the parent company revealed.
Mining during the quarter expanded into Zone 5 North, a higher-grade ore zone that contributed to improved feed quality and recovery rates. This development marked an important operational milestone for the underground operation and is expected to support more consistent production going forward.
MMG, a Chinese state-majority firm, snapped up Khoemacau in a $1.7 billion deal in 2024, as part of the global quest for critical minerals which are essential for clean energy technologies, defence and consumer electronics.
Earlier in 2025 the transition to a new mining contractor paused production ultimately making the mine miss year production targets. While the contractor change affected ore availability during the third quarter, mining volumes recovered in the final quarter as operations ramped up.
“Following the temporary impact on ore mined during the transition to a new mining contractor in the third quarter of 2025, the subsequent operational ramp-up resulted in increased ore mined volumes during the fourth quarter,” MMG added.
Despite the late-year recovery, total copper production for 2025 reached 42,120 tonnes, approximately 1,000 tonnes below the lower end of annual guidance.
On the cost front, full year 2025 C1 costs came in significantly below guidance, supported by lower development costs and stronger silver by-product credits. C1 costs are a standard metric used in copper mining as a reference point to denote the basic cash costs of running a mining operation.
Looking ahead, MMG Limited has guided that Khoemacau copper production in 2026 is expected to range between 48,000 and 53,000 tonnes. The outlook is anchored on higher anticipated ore grades as mining progresses further into Zone 5 North, alongside enhanced underground development work aimed at improving operational flexibility and securing sustained access to higher-grade ore.
Last year shareholders approved a $900 million (P11.8 billion) expansion of Khoemacau Copper Mine, with production from the new project expected in the first half of 2028. The project will involve extending mining operations to Zone 5 North, Mango and Zeta North-East deposits and building a new 4.5 million tonnes per annum processing plant. Khoemacau’s current production capacity is about 60,000 tonnes of copper concentrate and 1.6 million ounces of silver.