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).