Copper in Africa
Encyclopedia
Copper
is one of the world's most important industrial mineral
s, and Africa
is an important world producer. While output is traditionally dominated by Zambia
, South Africa
and Katanga Province
in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
, many African nations contribute to copper production, and many African nations have undeveloped ore
resources.
Cobalt
, another important industrial metal, is often mined in conjunction with copper.
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
is one of the world's most important industrial mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
s, and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
is an important world producer. While output is traditionally dominated by Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Katanga Province
Katanga Province
Katanga Province is one of the provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Between 1971 and 1997, its official name was Shaba Province. Under the new constitution, the province was to be replaced by four smaller provinces by February 2009; this did not actually take place.Katanga's regional...
in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, many African nations contribute to copper production, and many African nations have undeveloped ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
resources.
Cobalt
Cobalt
Cobalt is a chemical element with symbol Co and atomic number 27. It is found naturally only in chemically combined form. The free element, produced by reductive smelting, is a hard, lustrous, silver-gray metal....
, another important industrial metal, is often mined in conjunction with copper.
BotswanaBotswanaBotswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
- DukwiDukwiDukwi is a village in Central District of Botswana. It is located along the road connecting Francistown to Nata. The population was 1,901 in 2001 census....
, African Copper's Mowana Mine - GhanziGhanziGhanzi is a town in the western part of the Republic of Botswana in southern Africa. At the time of the 2001 census, there were 9,934 people living in the town with another 861 nearby. It is the administrative center of Ghanzi District and is known as the "Capital of the Kalahari"...
, Hana Mining ; also silver.
Democratic Republic of the CongoDemocratic Republic of the CongoThe Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
- Katanga ProvinceKatanga ProvinceKatanga Province is one of the provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Between 1971 and 1997, its official name was Shaba Province. Under the new constitution, the province was to be replaced by four smaller provinces by February 2009; this did not actually take place.Katanga's regional...
NamibiaNamibiaNamibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
- Ongopolo Mining and Processing – Matchless Mine Western Extension and Otjihase Mine near WindhoekWindhoekWindhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
- Palabora Mining Company
- Rio TintoRio Tinto GroupThe Rio Tinto Group is a diversified, British-Australian, multinational mining and resources group with headquarters in London and Melbourne. The company was founded in 1873, when a multinational consortium of investors purchased a mine complex on the Rio Tinto river, in Huelva, Spain from the...
UgandaUgandaUganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
- JinjaJinja DistrictJinja District is a district in Eastern Uganda. Like most Ugandan districts, it is named after its main municipal and commercial center, Jinja.-Location:...
– Kilembe Mines and Kilembe Smelting Operations currently reopening under A-Tec Mining after 1975 nationalization
ZambiaZambiaZambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
- The Copperbelt
- Copperbelt ProvinceCopperbelt ProvinceCopperbelt Province in Zambia covers the mineral-rich Copperbelt, and farming and bush areas to the south. It was the backbone of the Northern Rhodesian economy during British colonial rule and fuelled the hopes of the immediate post-independence period, but its economic importance was severely...
- LumwanaLumwana-Location:Lumwana is located in Zambia's Mwinilunga District, Northwest Province. It is located approximately , by road, east of Mwinilunga, where the district headquarters are located, along the T5 Highway. This location lies approximately , by road, northwest of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia and...
– Equinox MineralsEquinox MineralsEquinox Minerals is a mining and exploration company with corporate offices in Perth, Australia and Toronto, Canada. It has operations in Peru, Australia and Zambia but most of its current activity is concentrated in Zambia where through subsidiary the Lumwana Mining Company, it operates mines in... - Luanshya Copper Mine Company – Baluba – Mulyashi copper project
- MkushiMkushiMkushi is a town in Zambia, lying on the Great North Road and the Tazara railway, north east of Kapiri Mposhi. The Changwena Falls and Fort Elwes lie nearby...
– African Eagle Resources - Zambia Consolidated Copper MinesZambia Consolidated Copper MinesZCCM Investments Holdings is a principal operator of copper mines in Zambia. The government of Zambia owns over 85% of the company's stock...
- Zambia Copper Investments Limited – Konkola Deep Mining Project – symbol ZCI on the Johannesburg Securities ExchangeJohannesburg Securities ExchangeJSE Limited is the largest stock exchange in Africa. It is situated at the corner of Maude Street and Gwen Lane in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa...
See also
- Copper extraction techniques
- List of countries by copper mine production
- Mineral industry of AfricaMineral industry of AfricaThe mineral industry of Africa is one of the largest mineral industries in the world. Africa is the second biggest continent, with 30 million km² of land, which implies large quantities of resources. For many African countries, mineral exploration and production constitute significant parts of...
- Economy of ZambiaEconomy of ZambiaZambia is one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most highly urbanized countries. About one-half of the country's 11.5 million people are concentrated in a few urban zones strung along the major transportation corridors, while rural areas are under-populated. Unemployment and underemployment are serious...
- Aluminium in AfricaAluminium in AfricaAluminium in Africa originates primarily in Guinea, Mozambique and Ghana. Guinea is by far the biggest producer in Africa, and is a world leader in aluminium and bauxite production; see "World bauxite mine production, reserves, and reserve base" at the bauxite article.There are many companies...
- Cement in AfricaCement in Africa- Angola :* Lobitoo - proposal 2006* Nova Cimangola - state-owned cement company based in Luanda, associated with Scancem and Heidelberg Cement- Cameroon :* Douala - port - cement works* Yaoundé - national capital - cement works...
- Iron ore in AfricaIron ore in AfricaIron ore production in Africa is dominated by South Africa, Mauritania and Algeria; Zimbabwe and Morocco produce ore for use within the country. Many countries possess iron ore deposits that are as yet unmined...
- Platinum in AfricaPlatinum in AfricaPlatinum, and platinum group metals, in Africa, are produced in Zimbabwe and the Republic of South Africa. Of the multitudes of companies involved in producing platinum group metals in these two countries, these are the principal operators:...
- Titanium in AfricaTitanium in AfricaTitanium mining in Africa has been beset by environmental problems due to the polluting nature of processing rutile, a principal titanium ore. Titanium production in Africa includes the following principal countries and companies.- Kenya:...
- List of deep water ports