Botswana: MMG puts $190 million on the table in 2025 to boost its copper production

The Chinese group MMG has unveiled an ambitious plan to strengthen its presence in the copper industry in Botswana. By 2025, the company plans to invest between $300 million and $350 million in its Khoemacau mine, of which $170 million to $190 million will be specifically earmarked for expansion. The aim is to double current production capacity from 60,000 tonnes to 130,000 tonnes of copper per year by 2028.

Acquired at the end of 2023 for around 2 billion dollars, the Khoemacau mine is at the heart of MMG's strategy to capitalise on the rise in global demand for copper, a key metal for the energy transition. According to the annual results published on 4 March 2025, this investment will finance technical and economic studies, as well as the construction of a paste-fill plant. This infrastructure, combining mine tailings, water and binder, is designed to stabilise extraction while optimising waste management.

This expansion is part of a wider vision for MMG, which is seeking to increase its revenues in the face of global demand for copper projected at 50 million tonnes by 2050, according to BHP. In addition to Botswana, the group is pursuing similar projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinsevere) and Peru (Las Bambas). In Botswana, this initiative could also support the economic diversification of a country traditionally dependent on diamonds.

With copper prices potentially on the rise in the face of limited supply, MMG is betting on Khoemacau to strengthen its position among the world leaders. The expansion work, scheduled to start in 2025, marks a crucial stage in this long-term strategy.