Mopani Copper Mines PLC ("Mopani") is a Zambian registered company owned by Carlisa Investments Corporation (a joint venture company comprising Glencore International AG (73.1%) and First Quantum Minerals Ltd (16.9%)) and ZCCM -IH (10%). Minority
shareholders are spread throughout the world, in
various locations.

The company has mine sites at Mufulira and Nkana, which are located on the Copperbelt in central Zambia.

The Corporate Head Office is established in Kitwe and lies adjacent to the Nkana assets. Nkana has been in operation since 1931 and Mufulira, which has been in
operation since 1933 lies 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Kitwe.

The Company operates the Mufulira mine, smelter, concentrator and copper refinery and the Nkana mine, concentrator and cobalt plant.

The name "Mopani" was chosen by vote amongst employees.

The Mopani tree is an indigenous Zambian hard wood with a long life and is extremely resilient.

Mopani Copper Mines Plc was originally part of Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Limited (ZCCM), and was state-owned until its privatisation in 2000.

On 1 April 2000, Mopani purchased the ZCCM assets at Mufulira and Nkana, consisting of the underground mine, concentrator, smelter, refinery and cobalt plant, from the government.

Following privatisation the Zambian Government retained a stake in the mining industry through ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc (ZCCM-IH) which is an investments holdings company, quoted on the Lusaka , London , and Euronext stock exchanges. The majority of its investments are held in the copper mining sector
of Zambia.

It was important to find a name that retained the acronym "MCM" after privatization, because MCM is the London Metal Exchange listed name for copper produced at Mufulira Refinery.

Mufulira copper is considered amongst the
purest copper in the world.

[ citation needed] MCM produced 134,800 tonnes (148,600 short tons) of copper and 2,040 tonnes (2,250 short tons) of cobalt in 2003.

[At that time, MCM invested in a number of oxide copper projects at several of its properties, including an in-situ
leaching project at Mufulira and leaching at Nkana, and has achieved significant production increases at its underground mining operations in Kitwe and Mufulira.

Copper production from internal sources was supplemented by the purchase of some 18,000 tonnes (20,000 short tons) of copper in high-grade oxide concentrate bought from the Democratic Republic of the
Congo , and 185,325 tonnes of copper concentrate toll treated from Copper-miner Equinox in 2007.

The company installed ISA smelt furnace, Matte Settling Electric Furnace, oxygen plant, at the Mufulira smelter during 2004 and 2005, at a total cost of US$ 213 million.

The Mopani Copper Mine has generated over $560 million in tax payments to the Zambian government since privatization in 2000 through royalties, import/customs duties and income taxes.

However, the fraudulent dissimulation of thousands of million dollars [ clarification needed ] by MCM is under
investigation.and the President of the EIB has instructed the services to decline any further financing request from this company or its subsidiaries.

Thank you.

Chabala Chisenga
Eco Generation Regional Ambassador To Zambia

Source: Wikipedia