FQM Zambia’s Kansanshi Mining operation has begun bolstering its fleet for the S3 expansion with the addition of the first new Hitachi EH4000 (number RD170) dump truck that has just been commissioned on the mine site.

The Hitachi EH4000AC3 dump truck has a payload capacity of 220 t and four more units are already being assembled on site and are part of the total of 36 of these trucks FQM is buying to ramp up production at the Kansanshi mine.

In May last year, FQM announced an investment of US$1.25 billion towards the S3 expansion project at Kansanshi, which includes expansion of the smelter, process plant, and mining fleet, as part of the S3 project.

Kansanshi Mining PLC General Manager, Anthony Mukutuma, says he is excited the mine will in the next few weeks put into operation up to four of the giant dump trucks, signalling a major step on progress at the S3 expansion project. He said construction at the process plant is underway while the purchasing of equipment has been done.

The General Manager, who was accompanied by the Assistant General Manager, Colin Du Plessis, and other senior staff, are happy the investment has come as the mine is targeting to increase copper production by 2025 to between 260,000 and 280,000 t/y.

“One of the other things that we are really proud of about this truck is that it’s a diesel-electric truck, so that means our carbon emissions are going to drop significantly as we invest in technology, particularly the trucks that are using electricity,” Mukutuma stated.