Zambia has authorised two major copper producers to resume sulphuric acid exports to the Democratic Republic of Congo after an improvement in domestic supplies, the country’s trade minister said, easing restrictions that had disrupted mining operations in the region’s copperbelt.
The move marks a partial relaxation of export curbs imposed last year after supply shortages threatened Zambia’s domestic mining sector and triggered concern among miners in neighbouring Congo, one of the world’s largest producers of copper and cobalt.
Zambia’s Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Chipoka Mulenga told Reuters that the government had approved sulphuric acid exports by Chambishi Copper Smelter (CCS) and Mopani Copper Mines following a recovery in local inventories.
“We allowed them to export because local stocks have risen and these companies have miners that they need to supply in Congo,” Mulenga said.
He stressed, however, that export volumes would remain capped to protect Zambia’s domestic market from shortages.
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“They will export a limited quantity to ensure the local market does not suffer,” he said, without disclosing the approved volumes.
Zambia, Africa’s second-largest copper producer after Congo, generates roughly 2 million metric tons of sulphuric acid annually. The chemical is largely produced as a byproduct of copper smelting and is a critical input in the extraction of copper and cobalt from oxide ores.
The acid is especially important in the copperbelt region shared by Zambia and Congo, where mining firms rely on leaching techniques to process minerals that are essential for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and other technologies linked to the global green energy transition.
Any surplus sulphuric acid produced in Zambia is typically exported to Congo, where mining operations have increasingly depended on imports to sustain production.
However, Zambia suspended sulphuric acid exports in September before introducing a permit system in March after weak domestic output and disruptions in global supply chains tightened availability.
The shortages were worsened by international shipping disruptions linked to tensions surrounding Iran, which affected the global supply of industrial chemicals.
The restrictions hit Congo’s mining sector hard. Mining companies there reduced acid consumption and explored potential production cuts as supplies dwindled and costs increased.
Data from commodities logistics and warehousing company Access World showed Congo’s imports of processing chemicals declined sharply during the first quarter of the year, highlighting the impact of the restrictions on the regional mining industry.
Mulenga said Zambia could further expand export approvals if supply conditions continue improving in coming months.
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A document seen by Reuters showed that the Zambian government has also authorised chemicals trader Alliswell Investment Limited to export 5,000 metric tons of sulphuric acid.
Mulenga said Mopani Copper Mines would supply commodities giant Glencore, while Chambishi Copper Smelter would export to three Chinese-owned mining firms operating in Congo. He did not identify the companies involved.
An industry source familiar with the matter said Mopani had not yet received its formal export permit despite the government’s announcement.
Neither Mopani, Chambishi Copper Smelter nor Alliswell Investment responded to Reuters requests for comment.
The easing of export restrictions comes despite expectations of maintenance-related shutdowns at some Zambian smelting operations later this year. Reuters previously reported that both Mopani and Chambishi Copper Smelter were planning extended maintenance works that could temporarily affect production.
Still, the latest policy shift is expected to bring some relief to Congo’s mining sector, where operators have struggled with rising costs and supply uncertainty amid strong global demand for copper and cobalt.
Analysts say stable sulphuric acid supplies remain essential for maintaining mineral output across the central African copperbelt, a region increasingly viewed as critical to global energy transition supply chains.
