China Nonferrous Metal Mining Company, one of Zambia’s key stakeholders in the mining sector envisions opening copper smelting project in the country before the end of 2011 as part of the company’s vision to expand its operations overseas.

The Chinese run company with operations in among other towns in Zambia, Luanshya and Chambishi, lying more than 400 kilometers from the capital is expecting two of its major overseas projects to begin operation this year.

Mr Luo Tao GM of the group in a report recently was optimistic that the Chinese state owned miner's USD 340 million wet copper smelting project in Zambia, is expected to start operation by the end of this year. The new project is designed to provide an annual output of 41,000 tonnes of copper cathode and is expected to start operation by the end of this year.

He said that additionally, the group's nickel mining and smelting project in Myanmar in the Far East Asia will start trial operation in July which is estimated to run with an annual production of 850,000 tonnes of ferronickel. The Chinese miner with listing in Hong Kong aims to make a profit of at least CNY 2 billion and sales revenue of CNY 100 billion this year with sales of non-ferrous metal products exceeding 1 million tonnes.

The CNMC currently owns more than 20 million tonnes of nonferrous metal resources, 300 million tonnes of bauxite resources, 14 mines, 5 smelting plants, one economic cooperation zone and four listed companies outside China.

Ms Sydney Chileya spokesperson of Luanshya copper mine said that China Non Ferrous Operates Chambishi underground mines, Luanshya mines and is developing USD 400 million Mulyashi open cast mining project to be commissioned this year, as less that 30% of work is remaining before the project is completed. Additionally, the company is running 150,000 tonne concentrates refiner at Chambishi and doing jobs for among other companies, Equinox’s Lumwana Copper Mines and Chibuluma Mines.

(Filed by Mr Kapembwa Sinkamba SteelGuru Correspondent Zambia)