By JAMES MUYANWA–

ZAMBIA’s metal export earnings last year increased to US7 billion from $6.5 billion in 2012 translating in 8.8-per cent rise while production increased by nearly six per cent. Following a rise in the copper export earnings, the metal export earnings increased by 8.8 per cent to $7.086 billion from $6.511 billion in 2012.

According to the 2013 Annual Economic Report which was released by the Ministry of Finance recently, copper export earnings for 2013, at $6.941 billion, were 10.3 per cent higher than the US$6.294 billion for 2012.

This was mainly driven by higher export volumes. The country exported 981,340 tonnes volumes of copper which were 11.3 per cent higher than the 882,095 tonnes exported in 2012.

“The realised average copper price, however, marginally declined to US$7,073.82 per tonne from US$7,135.84 per tonne in 2012,” reads the 68-page report. In terms of the output in the mining and quarrying sector Zambia increased its level by 5.9 per cent in 2013 compared to negative 2.7 per cent in 2012. This was due to an increase in mineral production at the major mines and the coming on stream of a new mine.

“In an effort to improve compliance, Government continued to implement Statutory Instrument number 34 of 2012, which made it mandatory for mining rights holders to submit detailed annual reports and programmes of operation for the subsequent years,” partly reads the report.

Total copper production marginally increased by 0.6 per cent to 790,007 tonnes from 785,642 tonnes in the previous year.

The outturn was attributed to the 12.3-per cent rise in copper output to 783,468 tonnes from 697,918 tonnes in 2012 by large-scale mines.

The coming on stream of Lubambe Mine, which produced 22,135 tonnes of copper representing 22.7 per cent and a significant increase in output at Kansanshi, Lumwana Mine, Mopani Copper Mine and China Non-Ferrous Mining Corporation (CNMC) contributed to the positive sector performance. Gold output increased by 126 per cent to 4,984kg from 2,199.1Kg in 2012 while coal production at Maamba Collieries also increased to 148,768 tonnes from 121,024 tonnes in 2012.

For cobalt, the export earnings fell by 32.9 per cent to $145.3 million from $216.5 million in 2012. This was due to both lower export volumes and realised prices. The cobalt export volumes, at 6,146.29 tonnes, were 26.4 per cent lower than 8,350.4 tonnes in 2012.