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ZCCM-IH, which retains a 49 percent stake in Mopani Copper Mines, outlined a series of alleged failures by Delta Mining in the September 18 letter, according to reporting on the dispute. Delta, the majority owner through a unit of Abu Dhabi’s International Resources Holding, is said to have provided only 62.3 million dollars of a required 308.1 million dollar project development budget by the end of March. The state investor also claimed that Delta’s 2025 contributions fell 61 million dollars short of the agreed minimum and that no money had been transferred toward the 140 million dollar obligation for 2026.
Copper cathode production in 2025 missed targets by more than half, the letter stated, highlighting operational shortfalls at the mine complex that anchors economic activity across the Copperbelt. Zambia nationalised Mopani in 2021 through a 1.5 billion dollar transaction that removed Glencore as operator, with the explicit aim of safeguarding jobs and output in the historic mining region. World Bank data shows that copper mining contributes roughly 15 percent of Zambia’s gross domestic product and more than 70 percent of its export earnings.
The Copperbelt remains central to Zambia’s ambitions to triple annual copper production by 2031, a target that has drawn fresh foreign investment amid global demand for the metal in electric vehicles and clean energy infrastructure. A Climate TRACE assessment placed combined emissions from a dozen major Copperbelt operations at 7.6 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2025, underscoring both the sector’s environmental footprint and its strategic importance. The latest dispute risks complicating efforts to expand output while maintaining stable relations with international partners.
ZCCM-IH further alleged that Delta had engaged in unapproved borrowing and awarded contracts to unqualified parties, according to the letter. The accusations surface less than two years after Delta acquired its controlling interest, a transaction that was expected to inject fresh capital and technical expertise into the ageing mine assets. Industry observers note that consistent underperformance at Mopani could hinder Zambia’s broader goal of attracting further investment into critical minerals supply chains.
The government has not yet commented publicly on potential next steps should the allegations remain unresolved. Mopani employs thousands of workers across its operations in Kitwe and Mufulira, towns whose economies have historically risen and fallen with mine performance. Separate research from the International Monetary Fund has emphasised that sustained copper output growth will be essential if Zambia is to service its external debt while funding public services.
Delta Mining had not issued a public response to the letter by late September, according to available reports. The episode marks the latest tension in Zambia’s efforts to balance state control of strategic assets with the need for foreign capital and operational know-how. Copperbelt communities have experienced repeated cycles of investment and retrenchment over the past century, a pattern that local authorities hope the current expansion drive will finally break.
