Copper suppliers and buyers in Zambia

Copper in Zambia

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.

What is traded and how

• Cathode from local refineries and SX-EW plants. Large producers sell on long-term contracts. Smaller lots appear through traders and in bonded warehouses.
• Ore is bought by processing plants, often one truck at a time with joint sampling and an independent assay. See buying ore by the truck.
• Concentrate is sold to smelters in Zambia and abroad. Policy favours local processing, and concentrate exports carry an export duty unless a waiver applies.
• Scrap is traded locally. Cable theft is a real problem, so buyers should ask where scrap comes from.

Routes, ports and paperwork

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.

Scams to watch for

• Fake export permits or permits in another company's name.
• Ore "from my mine" where the seller cannot show a valid licence on the mining cadastre for that area.
• 100% payment before loading, or large "circumvention fees" to meet a mine owner.
• Cathode in an Ndola warehouse with an SKR the warehouse will not confirm to you directly. See warehouse receipts and SKRs.

Finding verified buyers and sellers in Zambia

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.

• Free to join and to post. Post a buying requirement or a selling offer. Every listing is checked automatically for fraud signs before it goes live, and stays live for 90 days.
• Every member passes an ID check (ID document and liveness) before they can message anyone or accept an introduction. Companies can be checked against their official registry. Badges show exactly what was checked.
• You choose who you talk to. A member asks for an introduction to your listing. You see their profile and what was checked, and you decide.
• The right people see it fast. Members who trade that product get an email within minutes of a new listing, and every Monday all members get a market report of every live buyer and seller.
• Deal rooms keep the NCNDA, LOI or ICPO, offers, SPA, IMFPA, documents and e-signatures in one private room. A broker who brings buyer and seller together is protected for 2 years on the platform.
• Check papers before you act. Run an SKR, SPA, COA, certificate of origin or bank letter through the document fraud check. The first check is free.

Copper Supply never holds trade money and takes no commission on deals. Before you deal with anyone, search the public scam list.