Lusaka Securities Exchange – LuSE listed ZCCM-IH Plc (ISIN:ZM0000000037) has outlined key strategic and operational activities according to a stock exchange news announcement on the Zambian bourse dated 15 November. Some of the key developments include implementation of a 6 year strategic plan spanning to 2026 approved in 3Q20.
This strategic plan was adopted with a renewed focus on investment impetus in both mining and related projects ranging from greenfield initiatives to aggressive commodity diversification. ZCCM-IH’s road map comprises of extraction, and where possible, value addition to the current portfolio, investment in greenfield and brownfield mining, and mining-related ventures across a diverse range of minerals. The plan prescribes commodity diversification to include cobalt, gold, manganese and other base metals, gemstones, limestone, phosphate and rare earth minerals.
Value addition downstream and exploration upstream, and energy to sustain sustainability of mining operations. Energy generation has been a key issue in mining productivity with the mines taking up of 55%-60% of the grid. Zambia faces energy poverty of 810MW a deja vus of 2015 when dam levels plummeted due to inadequate rains as a consequence of climate change effects.
With the electric car era actualising, Zambia is positioning itself for the cobalt, copper and manganese boom which are part of copper producers Vision 2030 outlook.
With a decade to 2030 with the world targeting attainment of sustainable development goals (SDGs) ZCCM-IH is taking steps towards ensuring sustainability in mining.
Other developments include upgrade in listing on the Euronext bourse from the access tier to the growth tier to improve liquidity through more robust price discovery. The Mining investment vehicle has diversified portfolio to include gold mining through Zambia Gold Company while it sanitises some of its investments through share swap arrangement with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) where IDC will swap its stake in Gemfields Kagem mining for ZCCM-IH’s shares in Mushe Milling and Investrust Bank Ltd.
The Kwacha Arbitrageur