- Tsaone Segaetsho
Khoemacau Copper Mine owner MMG Limited’s Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Zhao Jing Ivo, has announced that the company’s Board of Directors has approved the feasibility study and committed to proceed with construction for a major expansion of the mine, located in north-western Botswana.
The Khoemacau Copper Mine, situated on the emerging Kalahari Copper Belt, is said to host large deposits of critical minerals, including copper, silver, lithium, cobalt and rare earths. These critical metals play an essential role in economic security, national defence, clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines and power grids, consumer electronics, and infrastructure. Their supply chains are increasingly vulnerable due to geopolitical shifts.
Critical minerals are reportedly a key focus of the current government as it seeks to diversify the economy away from diamonds, with MMG Limited — a company incorporated in Hong Kong and listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong — investing heavily in the sector. Copper is the primary product at the Khoemacau Copper Mine, and the expansion is largely geared towards maximising its production.
“Expenditure is estimated at approximately US$900 million (including pre-2026 spending). First copper concentrate from the expansion project is expected in the first half of 2028,” said the MMG board led by CEO Jing Ivo.
According to a recently released statement, the project is designed to increase annual production capacity to 130,000 tonnes of copper in copper concentrate, with associated silver output expected to exceed 4 million ounces.
Khoemacau Copper Mine communications indicated that the project will involve extending mining operations to the Zone 5 North, Mango and Zeta North-East deposits, as well as constructing a new 4.5 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) processing plant.
The expansion will raise the mine’s total milling capacity to more than 8.0 Mtpa. In addition, Khoemacau Copper Mine media relations said the life-of-mine average C1 cost is expected to improve to below US$1.60 per pound, representing a significant reduction from the actual C1 cost of US$2.05 per pound recorded for the six months ended 30 June 2025. According to Khoemacau Copper Mine communications, the expansion is a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing the long-term profitability and scale of MMG Limited’s copper portfolio.
“Looking ahead, Khoemacau has identified a further expansion potential of up to 200,000 tonnes of copper per annum, supported by ongoing exploration activities. A pre-feasibility study for the next expansion phase is scheduled to begin in 2026,” said a statement from MMG Limited.
