Kansanshi Mining Plc Extract from 2016 Annual Report

Kansanshi Mining Plc (KMP) had sales revenue of K15, 699 million (US$1, 586.1 million) (2015: K10, 204.4 million (US$1, 568.7 million) for the financial year ended 31st March 2016. The net loss for the year was at K5, 110.9 million (US$517.4 million) (2015: Profit of K4,169.6 million (US$792.7 million). Total copper production was down 14% at 226,674 tonnes (2015: 262,287 tonnes) due to lower oxide and sulphide throughput during the first half of the year.

KMP intentionally reduced throughput in order to match KMP’s acid consumption with the smelter’s ramp-up to commercial production, while gold production was 12% lower at 136,257 ounces (2014: 154, 431 ounces) due to lower concentrate production and lower head grade. The lower sales volumes were offset by the introduction of the KMP smelter in 2015 that recorded revenue of US$403 million.

In 2015, KMP completed the copper smelter well ahead of schedule and commercial production was declared on 1st July 2015. KMP’s smelter processed 709,188 tonnes of concentrate in 2015 and produced a total of 150, 292 tonnes of copper anode and 645,000 tonnes of sulphuric acid. The KMP smelter achieved an overall copper recovery of 98%.

Subsequent to year end, ZCCM-IH filed a Notice of Arbitration on 26th October 2016 in London (UK) against Kansanshi Holdings Limited and Kansanshi Mining PLC. Further, on 28th October 2016 ZCCM-IH commenced legal proceedings in Lusaka, Zambia, against First Quantum Limited, FQM Finance Limited, Philip K.R. Pascal, Arthur Mathias Pascal, Clive Newall, Martin R. Rowley and Kansanshi Mining PLC for various claims arising from transactions between Kansanshi Mining Plc and FQM Finance Limited.

Total dividends paid during the period under review amounted to K59.3 million (US$8 million) (2015: K113 million (US$18 million). The amount payable to ZCCM-IH was K11.9 million (US$1.6 million) (2015: K22.6 million (US$3.6 million).

CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines Extract from 2016 Annual Report

CNMC Luanshya Copper Mines plc (CNMC) recorded a turnover of K1,867.7 million (US189.1 million) for the year ended 31st March 2016 (2015: K1, 741.1 million (US$267.7 million). The loss after tax was K1, 052.1 million (US$106.5 million) (2014:K72.2 million (US$11.1 million) profit).

CNMC planned to produce 46,000t of copper metal which included 16,000t copper in concentrate from Baluba Mine and 30,000t of copper cathode from Muliashi Mine. By the end of 31 December 2015, Baluba Mine and Muliashi Mine produced 11,371t and 33,101t of copper metal respectively. Thus in 2015 the total copper production was 44,472t, representing 96.68% of the annual plan. As noted, Muliashi Mine exceeded its annual production target for 2015 whilst Baluba Mine did not achieve its annual production target.

The failure by Baluba mine to meet its target is attributed to the difficulty in mining the gently inclined thin ore body with its variable structure and the increasing reclaimed tonnage and decreasing geological grade and also the fact that the mine had been put on Care and Maintenance since September 2015 because of power shortages.

There were no dividends paid during the year ended 31st December 2015 (2014: nil).

Chibuluma Mines Extract from 2016 Annual Report

Net revenue for the financial year ended 31st December 2015 was K656.9 million (US$66.5 million) (2014: K691.4 (US$106.3 million)). Net loss over the same period was K312.2 million (US$31.6 million) (2014: K144.4 million (US$22.2 million profit)). Chibuluma Mines Plc’s (CMP) cash position reduced to US$0.056 million as at 31st December 2014 (2014: US$8 million). The loss was mainly due to the low copper prices and an impairment loss of US$13.4 million on property, plant and equipment.

Production was negatively affected by the poor availability of mine equipment, which, coupled with low copper prices led to constrained cash flow at the company. Consequently, CMP embarked on cost saving measures and a survival plan with emphasis on reduced and targeted mining and processing activities at the mine.

As mine reserves get exhausted CMP has been exploring the Chifupu project for the last two years to extend the life of mine and have been actively exploring new mining activities. However, due to cash flow constraints, works on the Chifupu project have reduced and CMP is evaluating the option of starting production early at the Chifupu project to recover some of the investments incurred on the project. No dividends were paid for the financial year ended 31st December 2015 (2014: US$10.8 million).

Chambishi Metals Extract from 2016 Annual Report

During the financial year ended 31st December 2015, Chambishi Metals Plc (Chambishi) generated total revenues of K2,015.3 million (US$204 million) (2014: K1, 883 million (US$289.50 million). The net loss was at K396.1 million (US$40.1 million) (2014: K88.5 million (US$13.6 million).

ZCCM-IH has been engaging with Chambishi on the perennial losses and it was agreed that Chambishi would have to scale up production to be able to generate enough gross profits to cover all its operational costs and to generate profits. This would necessitate creating further capacity particularly for copper beyond the current capacity of 55,000 tonnes. A study is being undertaken to assess the financial implications of this proposal.

During the period under review, Chambishi commenced a research project to improve revenue at the plant. The research involves plant optimization, improved technology at the plant to improve recoveries and a global market study to identify suitable concentrates from which high value metals such as gold and silver can be extracted.