Director of External Affairs at MMG Khoemacau, Boikobo Paya, said the development marks a major step in Botswana’s ambitions to become a regional copper powerhouse. “This expansion will lift Khoemacau’s production to 130,000 tonnes of copper concentrate per year, firmly positioning the operation among the world’s Tier-2 copper producers,” he said when addressing the Botswana Sustainability Week recently. “We are on track, with early works progressing and significant investment already secured.” The expansion will see the construction of a new 4.5-million-tonnes-per-annum processing plant, and the opening of three new underground mines — Zone 5 North, Zeta North-East, and Mango North-East. Together, these will bolster output from the existing Zone 5 mine, which forms the heart of Khoemacau’s operations.
So far, more than USD $21.3 million (P270 million) has been channelled towards feasibility drilling, including USD $11.6 million (P150 million) for the study itself. Early works — covering land acquisition, new camp construction, pipelines, roads, and terraces — are budgeted at USD $68 million (P880 million), while the acceleration plan, which includes the new processing plant’s early works, box cuts, and engineering studies, will cost USD $128.7 million (P1.6 billion). In total, MMG Khoemacau has approved and committed USD $229.5 million, equivalent to over P3 billion, towards the project. Environmental and Social Impact Assessments for Zone 5, Mango, and related works have been completed, with authorisations already granted. Land acquisition is ongoing, with six farms purchased and transfers in progress. Contracts have also been awarded for the Toteng–Boseto road and access routes to the new mine zones.
