KCM’s challenges continued during the year as the fundamental problems surrounding the underdevelopment of the Konkola Deep Mining Project (KDMP) remained unresolved, resulting in the Company relying on third-party copper concentrates to feed its Smelter and therefore low production volumes.
ZCCM-IH was successfully granted a court order to appoint a provisional Liquidator to have full control over the operations of the mine. A key mandate of the Provisional Liquidator was to source working Capital for sustenance of operations for KCM. The liquidator on behalf of KCM engaged ZCCM- IH as a shareholder to help find and source working capital for sustenance of operations, out of which KCM signed a metal Prepayment Agreement with Trafigura, one of the largest copper traders in the world, where Trafigura was to pay KCM US$100 million upfront, which would be repaid by way of copper deliveries to Trafigura. The transaction was guaranteed by ZCCM-IH.
KCM’s revenue for the year ended 31 December 2021 was ZMW27.32 billion (US$1.388 billion), [2020: ZMW19.21 billion) (US$1.031 billion)] compared to budget of ZMW18.67 billion (US$948.5 million). The Company recorded a loss of ZMW9.83 billion (US$499.33 million, [2020: ZMW3.595 billion net loss (US$193 million)].
There were no dividends declared during the year under review (2020: Nil).