Nkana
The predominant mega-structure of the mining area is the northwest-plunging Nkana syncline. This structure is asymmetric, with a curved axial plane inclined steeply to the northwest in the trough of the syncline but upright to westward dipping at higher structural levels. A complex occupies the axial zone of the syncline but this folding dies out on its flanks. As a result of the north-westerly plunge of the Nkana syncline, the present land surface represents a horizontal section through progressively higher structural levels of the syncline from southeast to northwest.

Within the Nkana mining area there are four underground mines and a series of open pits. The open pits are under care and maintenance and have therefore been excluded from Ore Reserves and included under Mineral Resources. All are situated on the north-eastern limb of the Nkana Syncline area. Other cupriferous zones are present in the nose and southwest limb of the syncline. The orebodies are stratiform and are mainly confined to a recognisable ore formation, which occurs near the base of the Katangan sequence within the Lower Roan Group of the Mine Series. In the underground workings, the principal copper ore minerals are chalcopyrite and bornite with subordinate chalcocite. There is a zoning in the geographical distribution of these minerals. Cobalt occurs as carrollite and cobaltiferious pyrite. The principal ore minerals are malachite, pseudomalchite, chrysocolla, native copper, cuprite and libethenite. In the open pit, malachite and chrysocolla are the principal ore minerals in the zone of oxidation closer to the surface. In some places however, vermiculite, malachite pseudomalachite and accessory wad are more important. At deeper levels chalcopyrite, bornite and chalcocite are predominantly present.

Mufulira
The rocks of the Mufulira Basin are asymmetrically folded, moderately dipping on the south western flank and sub vertical on the north eastern limb, outcropping at Mokambo on the DRC border. The Roan sediments in the Mufulira syncline in the vicinity of the mine dip at approximately 45º to the north east. Small folds and minor faults are present within the mine area. The Lower Roan arenaceous quartzites and greywackes are the host rocks to the copper mineralisation.

In the Mufulira mining area, the Basement Complex topography appears to have exerted a significant structural control during deformation. The distribution of ore minerals in all three orebodies is stratigraphically controlled, occurring dominantly as disseminations, blebs and irregular masses. The principal copper minerals are chalcopyrite (60%), bornite (40%), and minor/trace chalcocite. Oxide minerals are confined to near surface occurrences, and supergene enrichment zones. Generally the deposit is structurally simple being characterised by three main folds that are in part overturned with a plunge and dip approximately 10º to the northeast. The basin is open and untested at depth.

Mopani Copper Mines PLC has since 2014 sunk and equipped three (3) brand new shafts to replace the old infrastructure at both Nkana and Mufulira mine sites, which dates back to the 1930s. The three new shafts are Syclinorium and Mindola Deeps Shafts at Nkana Mine in Kitwe and The Henderson Shaft at Mufulira Mine site. Mopani has also built a brand new Concentrator at Nkana mine site, The New Syclinorium Concentrator.

The new infrastructure is expected to extend the life of the mine by over 25 years and improve production efficiencies.

NKANA MINE
The Nkana Mine produces copper and cobalt ore from four sources: North Shaft, Mindola Sub Vertical, Central Shaft and South Ore Body (“SOB”).

The mining methods used include Vertical Crater Retreat (“VCR”), Sub-Level Caving (“SLC”), and Longitudinal Room and Pillar (“RAP”).

Mopani Copper Mines PLC owns a number of open pit mines at Nkana Mine Site in Kitwe, which are no longer active.

Synclinorium shaft
Synclinorium shaft project at a current cost of US$ 323m is one of 3 new shafts MCM sunk to replace existing shafts with efficient world-class shafts to:
- access ore reserves at deeper depth
- increase hoist production capacity
- reduce the cost of production.

Shaft sinking commenced in September 2011 and was completed in September 2014.

Main shaft and Headgear were equipped from 2014 and shaft was officially commissioned on May 5, 2016.

Synclinorium has ore and waste hoisting capacity of 4 million tonnes per annum expected to be achieved once fully operational and will extend the life of the Nkana South mine by a further 25-30 years

Underground infrastructure still undergoing development.

Mindola Deeps Shaft
The Mindola Deeps Shaft is one of the strategic assets to replace existing old infrastructure at Nkana Mine Site and extend the life of the mine by over 25 years.

It will enable Mopani to access ore reserves at deeper depths, increase hoist production capacity and reduce the cost of production.

Shaft sinking commenced in 2014 and once completed Mindola Deeps Shaft will be one of the deepest shafts ever sunk in Zambia at 2,020 metres. The main shaft is currently being equipped and will provide increased ore and waste hoisting capacity once fully operational.

The underground infrastructure (Ore, Waste, Water, and Air handling infrastructure such as pump chambers, crushers, conveyors, water drives and bulk air coolers) is currently being installed.

MUFULIRA MINE
The mining methods employed at Mufulira Mine are variants of Mechanised Continuous Retreat (“MCR”). The variant mining methods are Mechanised Continuous Retreat 1 (“MCR1”) and Mechanised Continuous Retreat 2 (“MCR2”), employed at Mufulira West and Mufulira Central. RAP mining is employed at Mufulira East. Mining of the Mufulira ore bodies is divided into three areas:
* Mufulira East;
* Mufulira Central; and
* Mufulira West.
Mufulira Central is further sub divided into the Upper, Central and Deeps areas, based on elevation.

The change in the Mineral Resources at both Mufulira and Nkana from 2018 to 2019 is mostly due to mining depletion. Changes in Ore Reserves from 2018 to 2019 at Mufulira relate only to mining depletion, whilst changes at Nkana are due to mining depletion and placing of North Shaft and area Nose under care and maintenance.

Expansion projects (January, 2021):
-the Kitwe Synclinorium Shaft is 95 per cent complete with a shaft, ventilation shaft and a handling system already in place;
-the Mindola Sub-Vertical Shaft (MSV) is 30 per cent complete with only the shaft reaming done and all the requisite components are on site;
-the Mufulira Henderson Shaft is 70 per cent complete with the shaft ventilation in place together with a temporary ore handling system. All associated equipment is on site awaiting completion; and
-the Synclinorium Concentrator in Kitwe is 99 per cent complete and merely awaiting commissioning.

The new infrastructure and the rehabilitation of the old infrastructure will extend the life of the Mopani Copper Mines Plc by twenty to thirty-five years in addition to the increasing annual own resources of copper by about 40 per cent.

Mopani Copper Mines PLC operates three Concentrators; two at Nkana Mine Site in Kitwe and one at Mufulira Mine Site. The New Nkana Synclinorium Concentrator in Kitwe was commissioned in March 2022 and is expected to improve recoveries and improve production efficiencies while the Old Nkana Concentrator, which has been in operation since the 1930s, has since been placed under Care and Maintenance. The copper concentrates from the New Nkana Synclinorium Concentrator are trucked to Mufulira and together with those from the Mufulira Concentrator, are fed into the Smelter at Mufulira Mine Site for smelting and processing to produce Copper Anodes.

The concentrators recovery at Mufulira is approximately 94% and at Nkana is approximately 95%.

Nkana Synclinorium Concentrator
The Synclinorium Concentrator is a new 4.2 Mtpa state-of-the-art automated concentrating facility in commissioning stage since January 2022 at a cost of $220m. The plant will:

Improve c ........