Zambia discovered more copper

Zambia, already Africa's top copper producer, has found more deposits in its north and will invite foreign companies to conduct further feasibility studies prior to mining, a minister said on Wednesday.

More copper and manganese had been discovered in Luapula province, which borders the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the government had already issued some licenses for the mining of manganese.

The Japanese International Corporation Agency (Jica) had financed geological mapping of areas with copper and the process had been extended to the nearby Northern Province. The government is trying to impress as many mining companies (as possible) to invest in Luapula province. We have huge resources and the prospects of mining are very bright.

Zambia planned to geologically map 45% of the country where there was mineral wealth in order to invite more investors into mining. The potential (for more discoveries) of minerals is very high.

Copper mining is the economic lifeblood of this southern African country of 12 million people, where authorities say copper production will rise to more than 600,000t this year from 569,887t in 2008